


Braving the Waves

by musicalfreak22



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2018-11-11 11:40:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 86,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11147655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musicalfreak22/pseuds/musicalfreak22
Summary: A group vacation. A chance encounter. They get separated by an ocean. One of them will have to brave the waves. CS AU, rated M for some swearing and a few slightly explicit scenes.





	1. Uno

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! So this is my first incursion into the OUAT world as a writer. Up until chapter 10, the story is loosely based on personal experience, so this is somewhat personal. I hope you will enjoy it.
> 
> A HUGE thanks to Dreamtalker1, my first reader, who has helped me put my ideas in order more than once.
> 
> This story is not beta'ed, so all mistakes are my own.
> 
> Disclaimer: I wish...

It's a cold Friday night for March in Boston, Emma Swan thinks as she's walking through Quincy Market, making her way to the Black Rose Irish pub.

Every other Friday, Emma meets with her friend Mary Margaret Blanchard for drinks and gossip. Every other Friday, because by being a police officer, Emma often has to stay late at the station. Not only that, but she would also cover for her colleagues to allow them to go back to their families.

Emma doesn't have much to complain about. For a girl who grew up in the foster system, going from one group home to another, she has it pretty good. It's not that Emma is entirely alone; she does have some friends… and a boyfriend. Who lives on the other side of the country and visits her only a few times a year. But she can't help but feel like there's something missing. 

She met Neal Cassidy online, through a Facebook game. She had pressed "flirt" when his picture turned up, they started talking, she went to visit him in California a first time, and they have been together since. Both of their jobs are very demanding, so visits are few and far between. They keep in touch through texts and Skype, and phone calls here and there.

She hasn't seen Neal in person for almost a year now, and it is eating at her. She can't help but feel guilty, but Neal hasn't made much of an effort to see her either. And things with him have been weird for a while now. He'd complain that she's not the same anymore, that she's changed. But doesn’t everyone change, evolve? She'd respond that he has changed too, but he would always deny it.

He was unemployed for several months before finding the job he currently has. He’d become bitter, negative… a pain the ass, if she does say so herself. She'd tried to support him the best she could from her side of the country, without much success. He was basically depressed and taking out his anger on her.

That phase of his life changed him. He’d stopped trusting people, including her. Things got slightly better after he found his current job, but it never went back to how things were before. He can’t shake off that distrustful attitude.

And on top of that, she has learned that texting and online chat can lead to misunderstandings. She had never really experienced it before, but now she knows. She's always walking on eggshells when they text or chat online.

And she's tired of that. She had once hoped that they would end up in the same city at some point, so that they could take their relationship to the next level… but now, she's not so sure anymore. She doesn't even feel like talking to him anymore, she's always scared he will snap at her for no reason (it's happened before…).

Breaking up with him has been on her mind for a while now. But she's scared. She loves him, after all. What if there's no one else? Is there really someone else for her out there? Will there be someone else to love the lost girl she is? With her emotional baggage?

It's another reason she picks up hours at the station. It keeps her mind off of things; it helps her forget her problems. Because going home to an empty apartment just brings back everything to the forefront, and she doesn't know how to handle it.

So those Friday night drinks with Mary Margaret are always welcome. She hasn't known Mary Margaret very long, but they were instant friends when they met. They are basically polar opposites: Mary Margaret is this soft, positive woman who believes in hope as opposed to Emma, who is hard around the edges, has a hard time trusting people – being switched from one group home to another will do that to you – but Mary Margaret brought the positivity out of her. Mary Margaret accepts her for who she is and doesn't expect anything else from her, besides her trust.

It is on that thought that Emma steps into the Black Rose and spots Mary Margaret at their usual table. She makes her way over and they hug before Emma sits down.

"I ordered your usual," is the first thing Mary Margaret says.

Emma laughs. "Thanks. Hello to you too. So, how have you been?"

"Sorry, hi Emma," Mary Margaret says sheepishly. "Ah, you know, busy, as usual. Who knew a bunch of 10 year-olds would keep someone that busy." Mary Margaret answers with a smile.

"Yeah, but you love it."

It is Mary Margaret's turn to laugh. "True."

"And how's David?"

Mary Margaret blushes.

She met David while vacationing in Mexico the previous year. They were staying on the same resort and, unbeknownst to them, just a few doors apart. She had gone on that trip with Ashley and Aurora, two fellow teachers, and Ashley was the one to notice David first. Little did she know, David actually had eyes only for Mary Margaret. It caused a slight disagreement with Ashley, but all was forgiven quickly. Mary Margaret and David had gone on a few dates after getting back home, and they have been together since.

"David's great. He's kind of swamped with work right now, so he had to cancel this weekend, but he's good. I miss him." Mary Margaret pouts.

Emma bites at her lower lip to stop herself from laughing. They are so cute together.

"How long has it been since you last saw him?" Emma asks gently.

"3 weeks. 3 very long weeks." Mary Margaret pouts again. Emma rubbed her friend's back in a comforting manner. "Now, what about you, Emma? How have you been?"

"Oh, you know, busy with work. Crime doesn't sleep." Emma replies in monotone voice.

Mary Margaret frowns. Emma knows that she’s being more closed off than usual, but she’s not really in a sharing mood.

"How are things with Neal?" Emma cringes. Mary Margaret's frown deepens.

Emma swallows a big gulp of beer before spilling her guts, or she’d lose the little courage she has. "Things with Neal are… I don't know. Weird. Every time we talk ends up in an argument about some thing or another, always about little things that shouldn't even matter. And he always complains that I've changed. But, you know what? He's changed too! But he always denies it when I tell him that. I'm tired of this, Mary Margaret. I don't even want to talk to him anymore because it always ends up in a fight."

Mary Margaret had known that things between Neal and Emma weren't great, it’s not the first time Emma talks about it, but she didn't think they were that bad. She knows that they had been happy at some point, but she doesn't know what changed. Emma was already in a relationship with Neal when Mary Margaret met her, and she was happy at the time. Mary Margaret has a hard time understanding how a long distance relationship like theirs has lasted so long, she’d asked Emma time and time again how she could do it, but it was kind of fitting for Emma. Her friend needed her independence. But she didn't imagine she needed it so much that she would be in a long distance relationship for so long.

"Maybe, Emma… you should think about breaking things off?" Mary Margaret offers softly. She knows this is a touchy subject with Emma, so better go about it in tidbits.

Emma sighs, bringing her hands up to support her head. "It's been on my mind for a while." She admits softly.

That surprises Mary Margaret greatly. "Really?" She asks slightly incredulously.

Emma nods. "Things aren't as they were. I don't know… I've been thinking about it. I need a vacation."

Emma's change in subject kind of gives her whiplash, but she accepts it. She knows she won't say more if she's not ready, so she lets it go.

"Well, I've been thinking that I wanted to go on vacation with David, but… I don't want to go alone with him." Mary Margaret stops, thinking. "Hey, how about we make it a group thing?"

Emma thinks about it for a moment, then nods. "Yeah. You know, I think that's exactly what I need. Let's do this. These last few months have been shitty at best; I need to have some fun."

"Oh, this is so exciting. You remember Belle? I told you about her divorce." Emma nods. "I think she'd like that. Would you mind if she came too?"

"Not at all. The more the merrier."

Mary Margaret claps her hand excitedly. "Awesome! Let me invite her over, I know she's free tonight. We can run the idea by her."

"Sounds good."

Mary Margaret grabs her phone and texts Belle.

Belle is the librarian at Mary Margaret's school. She'd been married for 10 years, and finally called it quits last spring. It was a nasty divorce: her husband didn't want to let her go; he even threatened her life, saying that if he couldn't have her, no one could. The divorce was granted to Belle, and she even filed for a restraining order, upon her lawyer's advice. Mr. Gold, Belle's now ex-husband, had been into shady business. She thought he had changed; he had assured her he had gotten an honest job, but he had been lying. He'd fooled her for 5 years. When she accidentally came across him doing business with the local Russian mafia, she was devastated. Gold is currently behind bars, but who knows how long he would be. 

"She's coming over!" Mary Margaret exclaims. Emma can't help but smile at her friend's enthusiasm.

Shortly after, Mary Margaret waves excitedly at someone at the front door. A petite brunette approaches their table and her and Mary Margaret hug before she sits down at their table.

"Emma, this is Belle. Belle, this is my friend Emma." Mary Margaret introduces them. They shake hands.

"Nice to meet you," Belle says softly.

"You too. It's nice to be able to put a face on a name." Emma replies back.

"Indeed," Belle gives her a smile before turning to Mary Margaret. "So, what is this you want to talk to me about that couldn't be explained via texts?"

Mary Margaret laughs. "Well, Emma and I were talking about going on vacation. I told her I wanted to go on vacation with David, but I don't want to go alone. Emma needs to go away for a while too, so we were thinking of making it a group thing. And I immediately thought of you."

"Wow. I don't know what to say." Belle says, flustered.

Mary Margaret laughs. "Just say you'll come. You'll see; we'll have tons of fun!"

Belle can't help but laugh too. "Alright then, I'll come."

"Oh, yay!" Mary Margaret says excitedly. Emma and Belle can't help but laugh.

"Can I suggest inviting someone else?" Belle asks suddenly.

"Of course! The more, the merrier!" Mary Margaret mirrors Emma’s earlier words.

Belle laughs again. "Okay. You remember Ruby Lucas? She just broke up with her boyfriend and she needs some cheering up. I think this getaway would do her some good too."

"Well then, invite her along."

Emma nods, taking a sip of her beer.

"Great!" Belle replies.

A few days later, while Emma is at home watching Netflix and eating dinner, her phone buzzes on the coffee table. She picks it up and sees she's received a text from Mary Margaret.

Hey! So I talked to David, and he likes our idea of a group vacation. -MM

Great! –E

He'll talk to his friends, but he's pretty sure they will want to come too. Is that okay? –MM

Sure, I don't mind. Meeting new people might just be good for me too. –E

That's the spirit! –MM

Emma laughs at her friend's comment.

Lol. Alright, let me know the verdict. –E

Will do! Good night! Xoxo -MM

Night! Xoxo –E

It is without much surprise that when Emma meets Mary Margaret for drinks again about 2 weeks later, that she learns that David's friends, Will and August, are also joining them. Belle and Ruby join them that night and, while they talk about the activities to do there, Mary Margaret suggests organizing a gathering so that Emma, Ruby and Belle meet David, Will and August. That way, they won't be all complete strangers at the airport the day of departure. Emma, Ruby and Belle readily agree to Mary Margaret's plan. The excitement goes up a notch.


	2. Dos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the reviews and kudos! Here's chapter 2! Things will start to pick up with the next chapter ;o) I hope you'll like it.
> 
> Disclaimer: nope...

The day of the gathering, Mary Margaret strongly suggests to the girls to arrive at around 3:30 PM. Emma is the first to get there: she finds Mary Margaret lounging in the sun on her balcony.

"Hey, Emma! You're here!"

Emma laughs lightly. "Yeah, I'm here. How are you?"

"I'm excited, and you?"

"Yeah, me too. This upcoming trip is going to be a blast, I can feel it."

"Oh, my god, yes! And I'm also excited for you to meet the guys. I'm sure you'll like them."

"I must admit I'm a bit nervous about that, but I have a good feeling."

Mary Margaret beams at that. "Good! Come on, have a seat."

Emma sits on the other chair available on the balcony, leans back and closes her eyes, soaking in the sun. "God, this is great."

Her friend hums in approval.

"Any news from Ruby and Belle? And the guys?"

"No word from Ruby and Belle, but I'm sure they'll be here soon. David left a little while ago, he has to stop over at Will's to pick him and August up, and then they'll come here. They should get here in about 2 hours."

"Alright. Do you need help with anything?"

"Now that you mention it, I've got some prep to do for dinner, if you wouldn't mind helping me out with that."

"No problem."

"But first, let's enjoy this sun for a while."

Emma laughs. "You don't hear me complaining."

"Hey, I was talking with David the other day," Mary Margaret says after a few minutes of silence, "and he had a great idea."

"What's that?" Emma asks distractedly, her eyes still closed, as she is enjoying the sunlight.

"He did some research, and found that it was possible to rent some jeeps and drive to Chechnya."

Chechnya? Emma frowns. That can't be right…

"You mean Chichen Itza?" Emma asks hesitantly.

Mary Margaret looks at Emma, puzzled. "Isn't it what I said?"

Emma can't help but laugh. "No, you said Chechnya. You do know it's not quite in the same place, don't you? Chechnya's in Russia. And quite dangerous." They burst out in laughter.

"Oh my god! I can't believe I made such a slip!" Mary Margaret says through her laughter, wiping at a tear that escaped because she is laughing so hard. Emma just keeps on laughing.

Ruby and Belle appear just as their laughter is starting to die down.

"What's going on here?" Ruby asks with a hesitant smile.

It takes another moment for Emma and Mary Margaret to calm down and tell them what just happened. Ruby and Belle laugh loudly at Mary Margaret's mistake.

"Come on up, girls," Mary Margaret invites them on her balcony. "We were starting to wonder what was going on with you two." Mary Margaret comments while she is hugging Belle.

"Oh, we got some shopping done. Ruby needed a couple more bikinis and dresses, so we got that done. We came here right after finishing up at Macy's."

"Did you find everything you were looking for, Ruby?"

"Oh yeah, absolutely! And I got great deals too!" Emma and Mary Margaret laugh at that.

"That's always better," Emma comments.

"We were just about to start on prep for dinner. Do you want anything to drink? I have some beer and wine."

Ruby chose beer while Belle went with wine. Mary Margaret mixed some ingredients to make a marinade for the steaks she and Belle bought the day before. In no time, Emma and Mary Margaret had the steaks marinating in the fridge, so they headed out to the balcony to wait for the guys.

David, Will and August finally made their appearance about an hour later. Mary Margaret makes a bee line for David while Will goes to Belle for a hug. Ruby and Emma are then introduced, and they receive warm hugs from each man.

Belle had met Will a few weeks prior, when her and Mary Margaret had gone shopping to Freeport. They had stopped in Portsmouth for dinner on their way back. Will had been at David's in Manchester for the weekend, so he'd tagged along.

Everyone gathers in the living room while Mary Margaret puts away the guys' drinks in the fridge. It is a bit awkward at first, but they all warm up to each other rather quickly and conversation flows freely. Of course, cocktails and beer help loosen tongues…

"So, girls, do you know about our moped ride in Dominican Republic?" August asks candidly while rubbing his hands maliciously. David groans at that, while Will whoops and claps.

"Yeah, mate! They have to know about this!" Will laughs.

"What could possibly happen on a moped?" Ruby asks skeptically.

"Oh, lots o' things!" Will replies, still laughing.

"Well then, what happened?" Emma asks.

"We were in Dominican Republic what, 2 or 3 years ago?" August asks David. The latter raises 3 fingers begrudgingly in response. August laughs. "So we were in Dominican Republic 3 years ago, just the 3 of us, you know? Guys only vacation."

"Isn't that what you've always done?" Mary Margaret interrupts.

"Mostly, yes, but we were with other people some other times too." David answers. Mary Margaret nods in acknowledgement.

"So we went to Santo Domingo one day and decided to tour the town on mopeds. We went to this rental place and got the mopeds. Will and I's mopeds were fine, you know, their tanks were full and they started normally. But David's?" August couldn't help the peal of laughter that escaped, whereas Will was laughing hysterically. "It wouldn't start." Will imitated the sounds of an engine trying to start but failing. August laughed again.

"That's it?" Belle asks. August couldn't stop laughing, so he shook his head no.

"Ya see," Will takes over the tale, "David went back to the rental guy and asked what was going on. They hadn't filled the tank before renting that moped again. So David was stuck with also paying for a fuel refill." The girls are still silent, wondering where this is going, while August has calmed down, but still laughs from time to time. "Lassies, ya see, the funny part about this is: just imagine this big guy, on this little moped which, on top of everything, woudn't go faster than 20 miles per hour. And the moped ended up failing David, so he had to ride with one of us. So picture this, lassies: David on the back of August's moped, slumping down so that his arms around August's torso don't disturb him while he's driving. Believe me, you need to have seen it to really understand how funny this is. But ya gotta admit the visual is really somethin'."

The girls are all laughing at the end of Will's story.

"You have other stories like this?" Belle asks once she has calmed down.

"The alligator." David says with an evil smile. Will's face falls.

"Oh, no, mate! Ya promised! Not the alligator!" Will protested.

"It's only fair, mate," David mocked Will's accent, "since you humiliated me with that moped story."

"Will has a point, Dave," August comments. "You did promise to never tell anyone about it."

"David, it's okay, you don't have to tell this alligator story. We're here to have fun, not humiliate each other." Mary Margaret interrupts the argument. "Surely there is another funny story you can tell us about. You've been travelling together for several years, after all."

Emma thinks there must be really something juicy to that story for August and Will to protest so violently. She makes a mental note to ask David when he would be alone later.

"Dave, mate, tell'em about the Russians." Will suddenly suggests.

"Russians?" Emma asks skeptically.

David laughs and nods. "Yeah, when we went back to Dominican Republic 2 years ago, there was a bunch of Russians staying on the same resort as us. There were always monopolizing the beach volleyball court, and they played only against each other. We decided to try to convince them to play against us. They didn't speak all that much English, but we ended up understanding each other at some point and they accepted the challenge. You know, when you expect a friendly encounter?" He pauses for effect, waiting for everyone to nod. "Yeah… I don't know where they thought they were, but it was like they were in the freaking Olympics, trying to win the gold medal or something. These guys were crazy."

"I still think they understood we were challenging them in more than a friendly manner. Language barriers and all." August interrupts. Everyone laughs.

"Probably," David laughs.

"Who won?" Ruby asks. David, Will and August raise their hands with stupid smiles. The girls laugh.

"But it wasn't without effort." David adds. "Every time they would serve us their biggest smash, we would try to outdo them. It was a close call, but we won."

"Anyone hungry?" Mary Margaret asks suddenly. Everyone says yes. "Alright, I'll go and put the steaks on the grill." She stands up and heads to the kitchen, Ruby close on her heel.

Before long, they all gather around the kitchen table and sit down to eat. It's a tight fit, as Mary Margaret's table doesn't have room for more than 6 guests, but they manage and still have fun.

After dinner, they go outside and gather around the fireplace Mary Margaret had installed earlier in the day, upon her landlord's approval. David and Mary Margaret cuddle together, and the others sit on the other available chairs. David, Will and August tell more stories about the different vacations they've been on and tales about their time in school together.

At some point, David starts to doze off on Mary Margaret's shoulder, and Mary Margaret's eyelids start to grow heavy. Noticing that, Belle and Ruby decide to leave.

"Alright guys, I think it's time for us to go." Ruby says, standing up and stretching.

Mary Margaret perks up at that. "You're leaving already?"

Ruby gives her a kind smile. "You and David are falling asleep. It's almost 1 AM and Belle and I have a bit of a drive to do."

"Oh, right." Mary Margaret says sheepishly.

"I'm gonna go too." Emma says suddenly, reaching Ruby's side. "It's getting late and I have to go to the station tomorrow."

"Alright then," Mary Margaret says, stepping forward to hug Ruby. "Drive safe."

"We will," Ruby assures, pulling out of the hug.

She takes another step back then makes her way to Will. Mary Margaret steps up to Emma and they hug.

"Are you alright?" Mary Margaret asks. "You've been quiet for a while."

"I'm fine, I'm just tired."

Mary Margaret pulls out of the hug and looks at her friend. Emma knows that Mary Margaret knows she's lying, but she's not exactly okay with sharing what's on her mind in front of almost strangers. She gives her friend a sad smile and turns to the others.

"Good night everyone. Guys, I'll see you at the airport."

"Hey, not so fast!" August exclaims. "We want a proper goodbye too!"

She smiles and briefly – awkwardly - hugs August and David goodbye, before following Belle and Ruby down the side of the apartment building and to their cars.

While they were all sitting around the fire, Emma had indeed been silent. Despite her best efforts, she was unable to escape her turbulent mind. She had succeeded in pushing her thoughts to the back of her mind for most of the evening, but they came back to haunt her when she sat down by the fire with the others.

The situation with Neal is plaguing her. She knows what she needs to do… she just can't bring herself to do it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a review if you feel up to it :o)


	3. Tres

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys! I'm a few days late! Real life is getting in the way, what with my moving into my apartment coming up... Good side is, you'll get 2 updates this week ;o)
> 
> Please note that the resort mentioned in this chapter is an actual place, and I have actually been there.
> 
> Consider yourselves warned: Killian makes his first appearance ;o)
> 
> Disclaimer: still haven't seen those paychecks come in...

In the weeks leading to their departure, Mary Margaret sends a text to everyone each morning with the countdown to the departure date. While everyone replies with either "yay" or "awesome", David would instead reply with "choo-choo" minus the number of days left before departure.

The purpose? Teasing Belle.

Belle kind of made the mistake to mention to Emma, Mary Margaret and Ruby that she doesn't like to dance around in a queue, like a human train, saying that it's cliché and stupid. Mary Margaret shared that with David, and the latter took it upon himself to tease the hell out of her, and made it his mission to make her participate into at least one human train while on vacation.

And Belle, of course, will do everything in her power to avoid it. And Emma, Mary Margaret and Ruby are no help, because they just laugh about it all, and are secretly plotting to get Belle into a human dancing train too.

~D-Day~

Waking up at 5 AM after spending most of the previous evening with Mary Margaret, Ruby and Belle doing each other's nails is almost impossible for Emma. She went to bed at 1 AM, after all. But the excitement for the trip helps her get up, grab her bags, put everything in her yellow VW Beetle and drive back to Mary Margaret's place. Ruby and Belle meet them there too, and they grab a cab from there to the airport, to catch their 10 AM flight.

Not only do they get a decent hour for their flight, but they also got a very decent price for their trip, what with Will working at Logan's Airport, he was able to get everyone in in his discount.

Registration and security go smoothly, so by 9 AM, they are sitting in the waiting area close to their gate. David, Will and August soon join them and, not long after, boarding is called for their flight to Cancun.

The flight is uneventful, except for David trying to take pictures of Belle while she's sleeping. After the third time, Belle grows slightly weary and doesn't go back to sleep.

Landing is stalled because of the weather conditions: it is raining heavily and the runway is flooded. It takes about a half hour before their plane finally lands and another 15 minutes before they disembark and make their way to customs.

It's a long process, what with the amount of people that arrive at the same time, but they finally make their way to the airport's exit after approximately an hour and a half and Emma having her luggage searched. The guys need to make a stop at a currency desk, so David tells the girls to go on ahead to their bus and they will meet them there.

Outside, the rain still falls heavily, and the girls are drenched in no time. The walkway is overcrowded, but they are still able to make their way through the crowd quickly and find their bus.

Two airline employees are waiting by the bus when they find theirs. After giving their names, they are escorted to the bus's door one by one under an umbrella… which is kind of no use given how wet they are at that point, but still appreciated.

"I hope it won't be raining like this all week!" Belle says as the four girls are sitting down at the back of the bus.

"I checked the weather reports yesterday, and we should have sunny weather all week," Mary Margaret responds. "Elsa, Anna and Kristoff were here last week and it rained almost all week, poor them."

"That must have been awful," Emma sympathizes.

"Elsa mentioned that they still managed to have some fun, but they barely got to enjoy the beach, they spent most of their time in the bars." Mary Margaret adds.

"The only bad thing about that is that it's not good for the liver." Ruby says. They all laugh.

A few minutes later, David and August get on the bus. David sits behind Emma and Mary Margaret, while August sits across the alleyway from Emma.

"Where's Will?" Belle asks.

David and August look around. "He's not here?" David asks. Belle shakes her head no. "Damn it, where is he?"

"Give it 15 minutes, David, and then maybe someone should go search for him." Mary Margaret suggests. David nods.

Not even 5 minutes later, one of the airline employees comes aboard the bus and verifies that everyone is there. When he calls Will's name, there is no response. David stands and goes to talk to him, then returns a few seconds later.

"What's going on?" Mary Margaret asks.

"Will's the only one missing; otherwise they're ready to leave." David answers, frowning. "I'd bet 20 bucks he's having a drink in one of the bars. I'll go look for him." He promptly turns around and leaves.

"I should have known," Mary Margaret growls.

"Is he an alcoholic?" Emma asks.

"I'm honestly not sure," Mary Margaret responds, "but he does have a tendency to disappear to get a drink at the most inopportune moment."

Emma nods. Luckily, David reappears 10 minutes later, Will in tow, so the bus finally leaves the airport. It takes about an hour to get to their resort, the Grand Bahia Principe Tulum, and, when they finally arrive, the rain has slowed down to a light drizzle.

As they get in line to check-in, Emma feels some anxiety surface. She had been fine until then, and she isn't sure why. Sure, it's her first time travelling outside of the US, but that's not her major reason for feeling anxious. Perhaps it's the travel fatigue talking, but she hopes things will go well within their group trip this week. Will stopping for a drink at the airport without telling anyone makes her think they aren't up to such a good start.

The two margaritas she drinks while they are in the waiting line do help settle some of her nerves though.

"You alright?" Mary Margaret asks her, worried.

"Yeah, yeah, sorry." Emma responds. "I'm just a bit anxious, and I'm starving."

Mary Margaret smiles sympathetically. "Don't worry. We're up next for check-in, and then we'll be sitting down for dinner in no time."

Emma gives her a grateful smile. A few moments later, they step up to the desk to check-in. Emma and Mary Margaret will share a room, Ruby and Belle another, and David, Will and August will share a third one. And they are all lucky enough to have rooms close to each other that have a partial view of the beach. The girls squeal at that information.

Shortly after, they make their way back out the front entrance to pick up their luggage. A golf cart shuttle pulls up at the same moment to drive them to their rooms.

Before they all separate into their rooms, the group agrees to meet in the lobby's bar an hour later to head to dinner.

Given the heavy humidity outside, it is a relief that the a/c is on when they step into their rooms. As Emma steps further into the room, she can't help but let out a sigh of relief. As this is her first time in a sunny destination outside of California, she wasn't sure if they had a/c. She would have been miserable if they didn't.

"Well, this is pretty nice," Emma comments happily as she deposits her luggage by the couch at the opposite end of the room.

"Pretty nice?" Mary Margaret laughs. "Emma, you have to admit this is more than pretty nice!"

Emma laughs. "Yeah, I just can't find the appropriate words."

The room is of a decent size and contains two single beds pushed up together, a chest of drawers, a flat screen TV, a closet and a bathroom. The couch is big enough to serve as a bed.

Emma and Mary Margaret quickly set up their stuff in the bathroom and hang their dresses in the closet. As Emma is choosing her attire for the evening, Mary Margaret suggests that they put their valuables and passports in the safe. Emma readily agrees and once that task is completed, she sets out for the bathroom to change into a pair of jean shorts, a white tank top trimmed with lace at the bottom and flip flops.

As Mary Margaret is putting the finishing touches to her make-up, there is a knock at the door. Emma opens and finds Ruby and Belle on the other side.

"Are you ready?" Ruby asks as Emma lets them in.

"Yes, just give me a minute and we can go," Mary Margaret responds from the bathroom.

Moments later, they exit Emma and Mary Margaret's room and head to the lobby's bar for drinks while they wait for the boys. They come across a tequila tasting table when they enter the bar, so they decide to have a shot together to celebrate their trip. They choose a lemon flavoured tequila and Mary Margaret pours the drink into four glasses before handing them out to her friends.

"Alright girls, here's to our first day in Mexico. Cheers!" Mary Margaret exclaims before downing the liquid.

"Cheers!" Emma, Ruby and Belle respond before downing the beverage too.

After depositing their empty glasses in the designated area, they sit down at one of the tables.

"Shouldn't we order our drink at the bar before sitting?" Emma asks curiously.

"They have waiters taking orders as well," Mary Margaret explains. Emma nods. A moment later, a waiter appears, asking for their orders: mojitos for everyone. It doesn't take long before the waiter returns with their drinks.

Just as they are swallowing the last sip of their mojitos, the boys make their appearance.

"Finally!" Emma exclaims when David, Will and August approach their table. "I'm starving!"

"Me too!" Belle adds, standing up. The other girls follow suit and take a step in the direction of the exit.

"Wait!" Will calls. The girls turn around. "Tequila shot before dinner!"

Will pours coconut flavoured tequila in seven glasses as the girls step closer. David hands them out and they toast to their trip before slamming back the drink. Then they finally make their way out of the bar and walk in the direction of what Emma assumes is the restaurant.

After two margaritas, two tequila shots and a mojito in less than three hours, Emma is feeling slightly tipsy, but good.

On their way to the restaurant, Emma and Ruby talk and decide that they will turn in early after dinner, just as the others decide to finish their evening at the Hacienda.

The Hacienda is another area of the resort where there are souvenir shops, a bar, a live band and a small night club that opens shortly before the live band leaves.

The group steps into a large dining room and they are lead to a table big enough to sit them all.

"Oh no, I forgot my key card," Belle suddenly says. "Since Ruby won't come with us, I will need my key to get back inside the room. Ruby, can you lend me yours for a minute? I'll go and fetch mine."

"Sure!" Ruby responds before ruffling through her clutch and pulling out the card. "Here."

"Thanks," Belle says, taking the card from Ruby.

"I'll go with you," Emma says.

"Great!" Belle exclaims, standing up and starting to walk away.

Emma follows suit, a bit dizzy from the alcohol. Maybe some fresh air would help her get some of her senses back.

Belle and Emma walk at a brisk pace back to the room Belle shares with Ruby. They decide to stop at the lobby's bar on their way back for another tequila shot, and then head for the dining room. Emma almost topples over her chair when she sits back down beside August and starts laughing.

"You alright?" August asks with a chuckle, holding onto her arm to help steadying her.

"Yeah, just a bit tipsy," Emma replies with a chuckle while gesturing with her thumb and forefinger. August chuckles again.

"Where are the others?" Belle asks, having just noticed that David, Will and Ruby have disappeared.

"They went to get some food," Mary Margaret answers. "We decided to wait for you two to come back before going. You guys go with August, I'll go last."

"Alright, let's go." Emma says, standing up again and making her way to the buffet, Belle and August in tow.

Dinner is a quite loud affair, what with everyone being slightly tipsy. There is also a lot of teasing going around, especially at August's expense.

When they are done, since it is still early, they decide to go back to the lobby's bar for more drinks.

When she enters the bar, Emma notices that it's crowded, and that there are three men, wearing light blue silky shirts, on a makeshift dancefloor on the lower level. They are dancing by themselves to the music. As they sit at a table of the lower level, Emma notices that there are two other men with blue silky shirts walking among the tables. One of them stops at a table and offers his hand to one of the women. She takes it, so he helps her up and pulls her to the dancefloor. She notices that David, Will and August share a look when they notice the same thing. Uh oh, that can't be good…

Indeed, Emma isn't much of a dancer, especially Latin dances. So the possibility of having to go dance in front of all these people is not very appealing.

A waiter comes by their table to take their drinks order. They are all quiet for a while, enjoying the music and the atmosphere, and just all around relaxing.

After their drinks are delivered, a tall, brown haired guy with an equally brown beard walks by their table. He is wearing the same silky blue shirt as the other entertainment guys, so Emma assumes he works with them. When Will sees him, he flags him down and points to Belle. The employee approaches Belle and offers his hand with a smile. Belle laughs, takes a sip of her drink then grabs the offered hand and follows him to the dancefloor.

Shortly after, another of the entertainment guys appears and makes a beeline for Ruby. The latter grumbles a little, but still goes. This one has short, dark blond hair and is clean shaven. Emma watches Ruby as she struggles to fall into step with her partner and she can't help but laugh. She knows Ruby enough to know that she enjoys dancing, but has never really enjoyed Latin dances.

As Mary Margaret excuses herself to the washroom along with August, Emma sees another of the entertainment guys walking among the tables. This one has dark, medium length hair and light stubble. And even from that distance, Emma can see he has these piercing blue eyes that should be illegal. He makes eye contact with her and gives her a smile, but she quickly looks away, feeling as if he was looking in the deepest recesses of her mind. She tries to avoid looking at him by watching her friends on the dancefloor. When the dark haired guy turns around, she sees David flag him down and point to her. And Emma, when she sees said dark haired guy approaching her, sends a pointed glare in David's direction before reluctantly grabbing the guy's hand and following him to the dancefloor.

"What's your name, love?" dark haired guy asks as he puts her left hand on his shoulder before he puts his right hand in the middle of her back.

"Emma, and I'm not your love," she responds begrudgingly. He gives her an amused smirk.

"Sorry lass. I'm Killian. Do you know how to dance salsa?" Emma shakes her head no. "No problem, I'll show you."

Killian shows her the basics, and then tries to make her follow him with the music. At first, she's very clumsy, but Killian is patient with her, he encourages her to keep trying. Another song comes up, so she tries to leave, since his colleagues are letting their partners go to find new ones, but he holds her back.

"I really should be going," Emma tries to protest. "I think you're supposed to change partners after each song."

"Don't worry, there's no real rule. Come on, you can do this." He puts his hands around her again and picks up dancing.

Emma laughs every time she misses a step, and so does Killian. With the addition of all the alcohol she has consumed so far, it allows her to finally relax and enjoy herself.

As Emma relaxes in Killian's embrace, she starts to feel tingles everywhere their bodies are in contact. All she wants is to feel more of him, how his body moves against hers. She wants to feel his skin.

Emma mentally shakes her head, blaming the amount of alcohol she has taken since they arrived earlier in the day: 2 margaritas in the hall while they were waiting to check-in, 3 tequila shots, 2 glasses of wine and 2 mojitos. No wonder she is having strange sensations. And she does tend to get horny when imbibing…

When the song ends, they stop dancing and clap.

"Thanks, this was fun," Emma tells Killian as another song starts.

"My pleasure, lass," Killian responds with a shy smile.

She smiles back, and then turns around to walk back to her table. She sits back down and sips at her drink. She can't help but feel a pang of guilt for feeling the way she did while dancing with Killian. She knows Neal wouldn't have stopped her from dancing with someone else, but he definitely wouldn't like how she feels while doing it…

At least, she thinks so. The alcohol is making her mind fuzzy.

Shortly after, Killian grabs a microphone and invites everyone in the room to participate into their dancing contest, which consists of dancing and when they name a specific alcohol, the participants must strike a specific pose.

A few people volunteer, but the entertainment guys don't seem to think it's enough, so they go around the room and grab people to bring them to the dancefloor. One of them walks by their table and grabs Belle. She follows, laughing. A few moments later, the contest starts. Everything goes smoothly, and those who don't strike the correct pose are eliminated.

The contest goes on for a while, and Belle is still participating, although slightly clumsily from the quantity of alcohol she has drunk. She seems to be having fun, though. However, at some point, Emma notices that Belle is trying to lose voluntarily. She is one of the last few to still be in the race, so why is she trying to get out? After a few trials, Belle is eliminated. When she gets back to the table, everyone asks her why she didn't try to stay until the end.

"My feet are killing me!" Belle replies loudly and drunkenly.

Everyone laughs. Soon after, the group decides to leave after saying good night to Emma and Ruby.

When Emma reaches the room she shares with Mary Margaret, she promptly changes into her pajamas and brushes her teeth. Before getting under the covers, she swallows two Tylenols, as she has a light headache already. When her head hits the pillow, she's already asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review if you feel like it ;o)


	4. Quattro

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, chapter 4! 2 chapters this week as promised.
> 
> Disclaimer: still nope...

Ugh… is the first thing Emma thinks when she wakes up the next day. Her mouth is like sandpaper and she can feel her heart pounding in her head. And she can't remember much from the previous night apart from the amount of alcohol she had ingested.

As she sits up in bed, she notices how silent the room is. Mary Margaret is not in the bed beside hers, and the shower isn't running. Perplexed, she stands up and goes to the double doors leading to their balcony. She notices Mary Margaret sitting at one of the tables, chatting away with Ruby. Relieved, she grabs a bikini from her bag and goes into the bathroom to shower.

Despite the light hangover, Emma can't help but feel refreshed already. Before leaving for this trip, Mary Margaret had made Emma promise that she would leave her demons behind in Boston for the week. Emma had agreed. And the minute she stepped foot into Mexico, she had felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders already.

Once she's finished in the bathroom, she packs her beach bag and heads out to join Mary Margaret and Ruby.

"Morning," she greets them once she's within earshot.

"Good morning, Emma!" Mary Margaret responds enthusiastically. "How are you feeling?"

"Slightly hungover, but nothing breakfast can't fix."

Mary Margaret laughs lightly. "You did drink a lot last night."

Emma blushes lightly, but smiles. "Are we ready to head to breakfast?" She asks to get the attention away from her.

"Us 3 are, but I don't know about the others. Let's go and find out!" Mary Margaret exclaims, standing up and heading back to their rooms.

And just as they reach the bottom of the stairs, Belle happens to be coming out of the room she shares with Ruby, and the guys are coming down the stairs.

"Well, talk about timing." Ruby comments.

"Good morning everyone!" David says, reaching for Mary Margaret to give her a kiss. "Let's get breakfast, but most of all, let's get this week started!"

Everyone whoops before they start walking towards the main building. David and Mary Margaret are leading the group, then follows Emma, August close behind, and Belle, Will and Ruby bring up the rear. August picks up his pace to walk at Emma's side.

"Good morning, Emma," he says, reaching for a hug.

"Good morning," Emma responds, hugging him back a bit stiffly.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, thanks, and you?"

"Yes, thank you. How are you feeling this morning? I think you drank quite a lot last night…" He winks. Emma laughs with him, although slightly nervously. She's not sure what to think of August's sudden interest. He'd sat beside her at dinner the previous night, then in the bar after for drinks.

"I know… I don't make a habit out of it, but I was having fun and I felt like letting loose, so here I am, with a slight hangover, but nothing breakfast can't fix."

"Glad to hear you had fun."

Emma smiles shyly. "And I'm not done."

"Very good!" August responds enthusiastically, giving her a high five.

Shortly after, they reserve some seats at a table and head for the breakfast buffet. Once they are settled with their plates, they agree to go book their activities for the week right after breakfast before spending the day at the beach.

After booking 4 restaurants, a tour of Playa Del Carmen's 5th Avenue and 4 entries for Ladies' Night at the Coco Bongo for the girls, the group heads to the beach. They first grab some chairs not too far from their rooms, but they are slightly scattered, so it's not really convenient. Once Belle, Ruby and Will get back from the bar with everyone's drinks, they decide to walk further down the beach until they can find chairs that they can align together… which they find once they reach the beach of the Akumal, the luxury hotel of the resort.

As she is bringing up the rear of the group with August, Emma doesn't have much of a choice, and has to share an umbrella with him. Once she has removed her cover-up, she sits under the umbrella with her book. August does the same.

"What are you reading?" He asks, sitting down.

"I'm rereading Pride and Prejudice."

"Rereading?"

"Yeah. I haven't read it in a while, and it's one of my favourites."

"Why do you like it so much?"

Emma isn't sure how to answer. She is silent for a moment, watching Ruby and Belle head into the water.

"Do you want to go?" She hears August ask.

"Go where?" She asks, confused. He chuckles.

"In the water. To cool down a little."

Even if it's cloudy, the humidity level is still very high. And the walk between the Tulum's beach and the Akumal's certainly didn't help.

"Okay," Emma finally agrees.

They stand and slowly make their way into the water.

"So, Emma, what's your story?" August asks as they reach some rocks that reach above the surface of the water.

"There isn't much to tell, really." Emma tries to evade.

"Try me."

Sitting down in the water, on the sand mount at her feet, Emma thinks. She's never been one to tell her life story to just anyone, especially to strangers. Because that is basically what August is to her. They met only once before, during that dinner at Mary Margaret's loft. And they had barely talked. How can she trust him?

"You know Emma, I'm a good listener. And sometimes it's good to share with a stranger, that way you can get a more neutral point of view on the situation."

How much does August know about her? Emma wonders.

"I won't force you to tell me anything, Emma, if you don't want to," August says suddenly, as if sensing her hesitation. "But I feel there's something troubling you. I also noticed it when we were having dinner at Mary Margaret's. You became more silent and seemed lost in your thoughts as the evening went on. Just know that I'm a good listener if you want to talk."

Emma must admit he has a point. Maybe getting his opinion would help her make sense of her situation. She doesn't have to give him all of the details, after all.

"I appreciate that. Maybe you're right," Emma says.

So she launches into the story of her relationship with Neal, how things have evolved, and how she's thinking of ending things. August respectfully lets her talk without interruptions.

"I think the best course of action would indeed be to end this relationship, Emma," August says after a moment of silence, once Emma is done telling her tale. "He doesn't seem to appreciate you anymore, to appreciate everything you've done for him. It's obvious he's changed too."

His comments unsettle her. She thinks he is slightly quick to judge, but still, it confirms what she thinks. So she decides to continue her tale, see where it leads August in his thoughts. "Yeah, but… I still love him."

"It is obvious love isn't enough, Emma, because the hardships didn't stop you from pulling away from each other. The distance certainly didn't help. How come you went with this for so long?"

Emma thinks for a moment. Again, he's quick to judge. He doesn't know her. But she's too far gone now to stop; she needs to get it all out. Emma is perfectly aware she hasn't even told all that many details to her friends, especially Mary Margaret, but for some reason, she feels like being more open with August because she probably won't see him again after this trip. That's what feels safer to her. He won't be able to hurt her with this later.

"I honestly don't know," Emma answers. "It was supposed to be only temporary. His company had a job opening in Boston when we first started dating. He had no reason to apply until he met me. So he applied, went for an interview, but didn't get the job. He was disappointed, but didn't let it get him down. Another opportunity presented itself a few months later, with another company in Boston. He got the job. As he was starting to pack up his apartment in San Francisco, they called him back to say they had to revoke their offer. The company was making sudden cuts, and the position for which he was being hired was being abolished. He didn't want to go back to his previous job, so he started job hunting on a full time basis. We lost count of the amount of positions on which he applied, and very few showed interest in his services."

Emma sheds a few tears. They don't immediately slide down her cheeks, and they are hidden by her sunglasses, so August doesn't notice right away. But then a bigger wave hits her and her sunglasses get knocked off. August grabs her arm to help her stay upright then reaches out for her sunglasses. As he hands them back to her, he looks up into her eyes and notices her tears.

"Hey, Emma, are you alright?" He asks softly.

"I'll be fine," Emma replies, wiping at her eyes. "So, for several months…"

"Emma," August interrupts, "are you sure you want to go on?" She takes a deep breath and nods. "Only if you're sure." Emma nods again. "Alright then."

She takes another deep breath. "Neal was jobless for almost a year and it took its toll on him. He became this depressed man, a shadow of the man I knew. I tried to encourage him; I even helped him look for jobs a few times. I feel that I did my best to support him, but it's like it was never enough. And whenever it got too frustrating for him, he would take his anger out on me. When he finally found a job, he didn't even apologize. And he didn't go back to the man he was. He remained bitter, short-tempered. He won't trust me anymore. He always finds a way to blame me for whatever goes wrong. I'm not saying I don't have my faults in all this, I do, but blaming everything on me? It's just not fair."

"He doesn't give you the credit you deserve," August comments immediately. "You were there for him as much as you could during that tough time, and he doesn't even have the decency to thank you for your support. He's an asshole, Emma. You have to end this. It's obvious you're not happy anymore."

She sniffles and nods. "Thanks for listening."

August gives her a bright smile. "You're welcome."

They are silent for a moment, Emma just observing everything around her, letting it all soak in: the landscape, but also how she's just opened up to an almost stranger about her failing relationship.

"I'm heading back," she says, standing up and slowly walking back to their chairs. August isn't far behind.

Once they are seated, August starts interrogating her about her book preferences. She answers him, but after a while, she starts responding in a less interested way, only giving him short answers. All she wants is get lost in her book, to take her mind off of everything .

Even with the music and her book, Emma can't seem to chase away her thoughts on her failing relationship. She can't help but think that she is herself a failure, as she can't seem to keep a man interested in her long enough to build a life together. Sure, she's been with Neal for 2 years, but with both of them on a different side of the country the entire time.

Walsh had been closer, in the same city even, but he had this preconceived idea of what their relationship should be, and it didn't fit her at all. She'd tried to make him see otherwise, but failed. And she has no one but herself to blame, because it only means she wasn't interesting enough for Walsh to try to see things differently.

She gives up trying to read for now and pulls out her phone to take a few pictures of her surroundings. The view they have from this point is fabulous: the blue of the ocean, the white sand and, Emma must admit, pretty people. It's not because she's on a diet that she can't look at the menu.

Turning towards the Tulum for a picture of the buildings, she notices Mary Margaret and David walking away from their group. She faintly hears Belle asking them to bring back a bottle of water from the small fridge in their room. Turning back around, she notices Ruby and Belle have pulled their chairs from under their umbrella. Even if the sky is cloudy today, the sun is strong enough to pierce through the clouds, so the girls are trying to do some tanning. Pulling out her earbuds, Emma decides to join them… if only to prevent August from talking her ear off again.

"Where are David and Mary Margaret?" Belle asks a while later. "I asked them to bring me back some water."

Ruby laughs. "Did you seriously think that they were only going to use the bathroom and fetch some water?"

Belle is silent for moment, thinking over Ruby's words, and then bursts out in laughter. "Apparently I did."

Everyone joins Belle in laughter. And that's when David and Mary Margaret finally decide to reappear.

"What's so funny?" Mary Margaret asks, sitting back down on her chair.

"Where have you guys been? And where's my water?" Belle asks, giving them a pointed stare.

Mary Margaret gasps, looking up at David sheepishly. "We forgot."

"Uh huh," is all Belle says before laying back down.

It's about another hour before they decide to make their way back to the Tulum area and to head to the entertainment pool. They drop their belongings on a few chairs then get in the water. Mary Margaret, Emma, Belle and Will head to the bar to get some drinks for everyone.

As they are sipping at their drinks and watching the entertainment team, Emma feels awkward. She can't seem to bring herself to enjoy the moment, to have fun with the others. The way August talked to her earlier is getting at her.

"I'm gonna head back to our room for a nap, alright?" she says to Mary Margaret in a low voice.

Mary Margaret frowns. "Are you alright?" Emma shakes her head no, trying to hold back a sob. "Do you want me to go with you?" Again, Emma shakes her head no. "Alright. We'll be by later to get changed before dinner."

Emma nods before making her way out of the pool. She pulls on her cover-up and flip-flops, and then grabs her bag and towel before slowly walking back to her and Mary Margaret's room. Once she's inside the room, she lets a few tears escape. She wipes them away angrily before changing into her pajamas.

It takes her a while to fall asleep, her mind overactive. She tosses and turns for a while, not finding a comfortable position. Once she finally manages to doze off, it isn't long before Mary Margaret comes back into the room. She tries to be discreet, but the sound of the card in the door wakes Emma up. She does try to go back to sleep for a little while, but with the ruckus Mary Margaret is making while getting ready, she is failing miserably. Taking a deep breath, she sits up in bed just as Mary Margaret comes back out of the bathroom.

"Hey," her friend greets softly. "Are you feeling better?"

"Not really," Emma replies, rubbing at her face to try to push away her bad mood.

"What happened?" Emma shrugs. "Okay, you don't want to talk about it. I get that. But I'm here if you want to talk."

"Thanks." With that, Emma gets up and grabs some things from her suitcase before going to the bathroom to freshen up and change. She manages to be ready before Mary Margaret, so the latter suggests she goes to Belle and Ruby's room two doors down to see if they're ready. Emma knocks on the door, but nothing happens. She knocks again. Just as she's about to walk back to her room, the door opens and Belle appears, squinting in the light and still in her pajamas.

"Emma? What's going on?"

"I was coming to check if you were ready to head out."

"Oh. What time is it?"

"Oh, I'm not sure… sometime after 5, I think."

Belle frowns. "Are you okay, Emma?" she asks, stepping slightly outside the room so as to not disturb Ruby.

"Not really." Emma replies, sighing and putting her hands in her short's pockets.

"What happened? You were such in a good mood earlier." Belle says, putting her hand comfortingly on Emma's arm.

This time, Emma can't hold back the tears… or her words. "I was talking to August earlier, about everything with Neal, and it just… haunts me."

"Oh, Emma…" Belle says sadly, pulling Emma in for a hug. Emma hugs her back, needing the support. They hear someone approaching: it's Mary Margaret.

"Everything okay here?" She asks as she joins her friends.

"Emma's not feeling too well," Belle replies, not sure how much Mary Margaret knows.

"I know," Mary Margaret says, looking at Emma. "Are you sure you don't want to talk?"

Belle looks at Emma questioningly, silently asking her if she'll allow her to tell Mary Margaret what's bothering her. Emma nods slightly, looking down. Belle repeats what Emma told her a moment earlier, and Mary Margaret hugs Emma too.

"Everything will sort itself out, you'll see," Mary Margaret says, rubbing up and down Emma's arm. "Are you coming to dinner with us?"

Emma nods, grateful for the change in subject. "Yeah, but I'm going to come back straight to the room after. I won't be of great company tonight."

"No problem." Mary Margaret and Belle reply, both giving her a sad smile. Emma looks away, embarrassed at the amount of attention on her again.

"Alright then, I'll wake Ruby up and we'll get ready. We'll meet you in your room shortly."

Mary Margaret nods before starting back towards her room, Emma close behind. Ruby and Belle make their appearance not long after, so they make their way to the lobby bar for pre-dinner drinks. Once the boys meet them, they head to the buffet's dining room. After tequila shots, a cocktail before dinner and wine during dinner, Emma feels better, so she decides to follow the group to the Hacienda.

While they are enjoying the music, Emma learns that Ruby has a date with one of the entertainment guys after his shift, at the Corona bar right behind them. Apparently, it's the only place on the resort where the resort's employees can meet guests outside of work hours. Ruby asks her to come with her. Emma accepts, although a bit reluctantly, knowing she'll more than likely be the third wheel.

"Which one is Victor?" Emma asks Ruby over the music.

"It's the blonde one; he danced with me last night in the lobby bar."

"Oh, right. He's cute."

Ruby laughs at that, nodding.

It isn't much later that the band stops for the night, so Ruby and Emma make their way to the Corona bar. Victor is already there, sitting with some other people. Two other guys from the entertainment team are there as well, and Victor introduces them as Ricardo and Graham. Emma vaguely recognizes Graham from the night before. He is sitting with 2 blonde girls. Victor quickly brings up chairs for both girls and they sit down.

Just as she'd predicted, Emma feels like a third wheel. Ruby and Victor are talking quietly, and Graham is chatting with the 2 girls, and Ricardo sometimes intervenes. While she observes them, Emma notices that Graham seems to be having a hard time being understood by the 2 blonde girls. She tries to listen to them speak, and finally recognizes their accent as German. No wonder why they didn't understand him, Emma chuckles to herself. After a while, the 2 girls leave and Graham takes a seat closer to Emma.

"Hi," he says, extending his hand to shake. "I'm Graham."

Emma blushes slightly, but takes his offered hand and shakes it. "I'm Emma."

"Hello Emma, where are you from?" She notices the lilt in his speech. He is clearly not Mexican, but he's not American either.

"USA, and you?" she asks, not really expecting him to answer.

"Ah, USA. I've been there."

"Really, where?"

And it goes on like that for a while. Graham avoids answering her questions most of the time, putting the focus on her, but she feels that his interest is merely to be polite, to keep her busy while her friend is with Victor. As if he was still working.

A while later, while she's talking with both Ricardo and Graham by the computer controlling the music and showing them her tastes in music on YouTube, Ruby and Victor join them.

"Hey Emma," Ruby greets her. "I'm ready to head back."

"Sure, let's go."

They bid the boys good night and leave.

"So?" Emma asks as they walk down the sidewalk that boards the street between the Tulum and the Hacienda.

"So…" Ruby trails off. "Victor's nice."

"Nice? That's all you have to say?" Emma replies. Ruby laughs.

"Well, it's the first date," Ruby says, mimicking air quotes at first date. "He's nice, he's fun. That's it."

Emma scoffs.

"Come on Ruby, tell me more," Emma teases. Ruby only rolls her eyes and smiles in response. "So what did you guys do, then?"

"We were sitting at the tables all this time, talking."

"Okay," Emma is flabbergasted. Maybe everything she had heard wasn't all true, after all. Ruby looks at Emma before laughing again.

"Emma, I don't sleep with all of them on the first date, as opposed to the popular opinion. And in Victor's case, I don't want to give him false hope."

"Touché," Emma laughs.

They remain silent the rest of the way back to their rooms, but it's not an awkward silence. They are simply enjoying each other's company. Once back at their building, they bid each other good night and go into their respective rooms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed. Please review :o)


	5. Cinco

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! Here's chapter 5, I hope you like it. Thank you again to Dreamtalker1 for her help in making this story the best it can be.
> 
> Disclaimer: still nope...

Chapter 5 – Day 3

It is Tuesday, day 3 of their little vacation. Emma wakes up feeling refreshed. Thankfully, she had spent less time imbibing and more time having fun the night before, so no hangover this time. Although, she can't help but laugh a little at the thought of the hangover she had the day before. She doesn't recall having ever drunk so much in so little time, or having so much fun. She'll have to stay away from the tequila if she doesn't want a repeat of that headache, no matter how good it is. Indeed, it seems she's a bottomless pit when it comes to tequila…

The group grabs a quick breakfast before spending some time at the beach, as they are headed to Playa Del Carmen in the early afternoon for some shopping.

Playa Del Carmen is mostly uneventful. Mary Margaret had warned everyone that negotiating is the best thing to do there. Belle and Ruby, shoppers that they are, look at everything. They are able to snatch a pair of handmade earrings, for $25 each. Once the purchase is made and that the group heads towards another jeweller, Mary Margaret mentions that she won't buy anything for more than $20, pointing out that she had shopped for very cheap the previous year.

Emma doesn't think much of it at first, but when she sees that Mary Margaret won't stop insisting every time Belle or Ruby starts negotiating some prices, she can't help but feel that there's more to it than the actual prices of the merchandise.

David remained at the resort, after all.

They grab a beer together at one of the local bars before getting back to the resort with their chartered bus.

Once back at the resort, they all agree to meet at the bar at 7 for drinks before their scheduled dinner reservation at the Mediterranean restaurant.

The girls agree to a light nap before starting to get ready.

By 6, they are ready, so they head out to the lobby bar for drinks, where the entertainment guys are already at work. It isn't long before Victor spots them and comes to steal Ruby away for a few dances. Mary Margaret, Belle and Emma can only laugh at that. The guy is clearly smitten with their friend.

Shortly after, a dark haired guy with piercing blue eyes comes by their table to grab Belle and pull her to the dance floor. His face seems familiar to Emma, but she doesn't dwell on it. She enjoys watching her friends try to follow their partners' lead. She even takes a few pictures with her phone.

Emma gets pulled to the dance floor too, by Luis. He is slightly shorter than her, but has a lot of energy. He makes her do all kinds of silly things. It makes her trip on her own two feet, but she can only laugh. The alcohol and her friends' encouragement also help her not to feel too self-conscious.

When the song ends, she thanks Luis and starts to walk back to her table, when she feels herself being pulled back. She turns around and lands in someone's chest. When she looks up, she loses herself in a perfect spring sky and a smile warmer than the gentle sun. His hair is the color of black licorice, one of her favourite sweets. It looks as soft as silk; all she wants to do is run her hands through it. She spies his name on the tag pinned to his black shirt: Killian. Without knowing what hit her, she finds herself attempting to dance once again.

"I'm not very good at this," she says a while later, after stepping on one of his foot for about the tenth time.

But he only chuckles. "No problem, lass. Don't worry, it happens all the time."

They don't speak much, but Emma doesn't feel the need to fill the silence. She only feels at ease with him. She feels like she can trust him. Which should make her want to run the other way.

When he pulls away to make her spin, she spies a smirk on his lips. "Hey, don't mock, I'm actually getting the hang of this."

He chuckles again. "I'm not mocking; I'm merely enjoying the fact that my feet are getting a reprieve from being stepped on." She mock-glares at him as they join again. He gives her a cheeky smile in response, and she can't help but laugh. "You know Emma, when it comes to dancing, there's only one real rule. What's wrong, love?" he asks, as he felt her stiffen when he mentioned her name.

"How do you know my name?" she asks suspiciously. Confusion darkens his features.

"We met the night before last, lass. We danced together for a while."

Emma feels her face warming up. Why doesn't she remember this? Well, she knows why, she just can't fathom why she would have forgotten the time she shared with him. She does remember parts of that evening.

She notices Killian is trying not to laugh at her embarrassment. Without another word, she tries to get away from him, but he holds her back.

"Hey, hey," he tries to soothe her, "I must say I'm slightly disappointed you don't remember my dashing self, but I meant no harm."

"Sorry," she finally squeaks out, "I drank a lot that night, and it seems I forgot the part of the evening where we danced together."

"Shame," Killian says, "you will have to make it up to me."

Emma feels nothing but excitement at the perspective of spending more time with Killian. She knows she should feel ashamed of that. She should be thinking of Neal. Then again, she specifically came to Mexico to forget about her problems for a while. So she decides that she will enjoy this time she has with Killian.

It's not like she'll ever see him again after this vacation is over.

"Alright then, I'll make it up to you," she says in reply to his earlier statement. His smile widens. "So, what's that rule for dancing?"

"Pick a partner who knows what he's doing," he winks at her.

That wink does things to her. She bites on her lower lip. She looks into his eyes for a moment, not saying anything. And he doesn't look away either. This time, his eyes sparkle like storm clouds, just like before lightning hits. He seems somehow troubled, but she is too mesmerized by this man - and perhaps a bit too tipsy - to ask him what's bothering him. She mentally shakes herself before getting any more lost in his gaze.

"It's a good thing I found one, then," she replies softly.

"Aye," he replies in a low voice. Emma doesn't know if it's the lighting, but she seems to spy some redness on his cheeks before she feels herself being pulled slightly closer. She catches his smirk and it sends shivers down her spine. Emma smiles to herself.

Suddenly, she sees some movement from the corner of her eye. Looking around, she sees her friends waving at her. Mary Margaret taps at an imaginary watch on her wrist. Emma nods at her friend.

"I'm sorry Killian, I have to go," she says apologetically, pulling away. She immediately misses his warmth. "Dinner reservation."

"That's fine, love. I'll see you later?" He asks as she starts walking away, still holding onto her hand.

She nods before letting go of his hand and rejoining her friends. She takes one last sip from her cocktail before the girls leave the bar.

"The guys haven't shown up?" Emma asks as they make their way to the entrance to catch a shuttle.

"No. I swear they're worse than women," Mary Margaret says, slightly frustrated. Belle, Ruby and Emma laugh. "We're already late for our reservation, so we're going anyway." The girls nod as a shuttle pulls up.

A few minutes later, they are walking through the lobby of the Coba and making their way down the stairs leading to the exterior sitting area, where they find the guys sipping on drinks.

"Where have you been?" David asks sharply. Emma doubles back at the misplaced anger.

"We were in the Tulum's lobby bar, waiting for you," Mary Margaret responds heatedly.

"Hey, guys?" Belle intervenes. "Let's not make a big deal out of this, okay? There was a misunderstanding. We're already late for our reservation, so let's just go and enjoy the meal, alright?"

Everyone agrees and they start walking. It takes about another 10 minutes before they find the restaurant. Inside, when they present their reservation ticket to the maitre d'hotel, he tells them in poor English that they are very late, and not so subtly asks them to leave. Ashamed, they leave the restaurant quickly.

Given the time, they head to the buffet for a quick dinner; they all are very hungry. Once they are settled at the table with their dishes, the discussion grows heated when they touch again the topic of their being late for the reservation. Tempers flare; the people sitting at the tables around them start whispering.

Emma doesn't talk at all, not feeling concerned. It's everyone's fault, after all, because they were all unclear as to which bar to meet at. And truly, she doesn't even understand what they're all arguing about. The guys are acting as if they are insulted.

Beside her, Belle stops eating and puts her head in her hands.

"Are you okay?" Emma asks her, putting a comforting hand on her back. Belle shakes her head no. "What's wrong?"

"It's stupid, really," Belle says in a shaky voice, "but conflict makes me queasy." Emma purses her lips. She looks around at the group, still all in a heated discussion.

"Do you want to go outside for a walk?" Emma asks softly. Belle doesn't reply immediately, making Emma think she hasn't heard her, so she repeats her question. This time, Belle nods. So they quickly stand up and make their way outside without looking back.

Belle is silent for a while, just taking deep breaths.

"Feeling better?" Emma asks a little while later.

"Not really," Belle answers in a weak voice. "This is ridiculous," she explodes after a moment. "They have no right to be upset like this! Why didn't they come looking for us? It's just stupid to make a big deal out of this. It's just a misunderstanding. And Mary Margaret today, in Playa Del Carmen? What the hell was her problem? If I think that $25 is perfectly acceptable for a pair of earrings, then I'll buy them!" She let out a huff. "Wow that feels good."

Emma chuckles. "I agree with you, you know. I don't see the point of this argument; they're making a mountain out of a mole hill."

Belle nods.

They keep walking for another few minutes before going back to their table. Everyone is silent at the table, eating and not looking at each other. Belle doesn't touch her plate again. Emma eats a few more bites, before sensing that Belle is still uneasy.

Mary Margaret notices this as well. "Let's get out of here," she says, gathering her things and standing up. Emma, Belle and Ruby promptly follow. They say a quick goodbye to the guys before leaving the premises.

"What the hell?" Ruby exclaims as they are waiting for a shuttle.

"Indeed," Mary Margaret replies. They are silent on the way to the Hacienda. The girls wanted to shop around a little before going inside.

Emma buys a black beach bag with a Riviera Maya, Mexico inscription and dolphins on it. There are a lot of gorgeous things, but they are not really her style. Belle and Mary Margaret buy some jewellery. At some point, the guys join them, in a much better mood. When the girls are done, they let David and Will know they'll be inside enjoying the music, since August is nowhere to be seen, and they can join them when they're done.

The girls find a free table close to the dancefloor and order some drinks. After a while, Mary Margaret, Belle and Ruby decide to go dance. They invite Emma along, but she declines. The girls don't insist and head for the dancefloor. Emma laughs when she sees Victor appear seemingly out of nowhere and steals Ruby away to dance with her. At the end of a song, Mary Margaret and Belle come back to the table, and together with Emma, they watch Victor and Ruby. They laugh when Victor tries some slightly more complicated moves and Ruby stumbles through it all.

A few songs later, they part ways and Ruby comes back to their table. Victor is working, after all, and it would be unprofessional of him to spend all of his time with only one guest.

Belle finally convinces Emma to go dance for a while. Shortly after, line dancing starts. Finally something Emma is decent at, so she tries to pull Belle in. The latter protests, but ends up joining in anyway. Well… at least, she tries. She keeps stumbling into people, as she can't seem to be able to follow the steps. Emma laughs so hard that she stops dancing and follows her friend back to the table.

"What's so funny?" Mary Margaret asks once Emma is seated.

"You mean you didn't see this?" Emma asks, laughing again when Mary Margaret shakes her head no. "There was line dancing and Belle just kept bumping into everyone, she couldn't follow the steps!" Emma says through her laughter.

Belle is pouting, but soon laughs herself.

Shortly after that, the band wraps up and the area slowly empties. The girls agree to make their way back to their rooms and turn in, as they need their rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it. Leave a reviewif you feel like it :o)


	6. Seis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for not keeping up with the schedule lately. I moved into my apartment and with the new boyfriend, it's all been pretty busy. I will be slowly getting back on track, so please be indulgent if I do not update according to schedule for a while.
> 
> The club mentioned in this chapter, The Coco Bongo, is an actual place. I've been there, and it's GREEEEEAAAAT! If you have the chance to go to the Riviera Maya, you have to go to the Coco Bongo at least one evening during your stay.
> 
> Disclaimer: Oh, wait!... nope.

Chapter 6 – Day 4

On Wednesday morning, the girls wake up and head to breakfast together. Seeing as the guys don't show up, Mary Margaret heads to their room while Ruby, Emma and Belle grab some chairs on the beach.

It turns out that David has a pretty severe case of food poisoning. Will as well, but not as severe as David. It would explain David's crankiness the previous day.

"Worse than women, I'm telling you," Ruby comments when Mary Margaret reports the situation to the group. They all laugh.

Wanting to cool down a bit, the girls head to the entertainment pool in the middle of the afternoon. After fetching some drinks, the girls gather along the wall of the pool and watch the entertainment team while chatting a bit. A while later, Emma notices Victor detaches himself from his coworkers and approaches them.

"Hello ladies," he greets them, crouching down.

"Hi Victor," Emma and Ruby respond. Belle and Mary Margaret wave while sipping on their drinks.

"How are you today?" Victor asks, mostly Ruby.

Emma chuckles to herself.

"We're good, thanks," Ruby responds. "And you?"

"I'm very good, thank you. So what are you girls doing today?"

"We're taking it easy, just enjoying the beach and the sun, because we're going to the Coco Bongo tonight," Ruby explains.

Victor's face lights up at that information. Just as he's about to talk, Graham joins him.

"What's that I hear about the Coco Bongo? Are you going?" Graham asks.

"Yes," Ruby responds, earning herself a big smile from Victor.

"Great, we'll be there too," Graham says. "Do you have your tickets?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure I'll go anymore," Belle responds. "I'm not really in the mood."

"All the more reasons to go, lass," Graham says. "And I'll be there, I'll keep you company."

Belle thinks it over for a moment, then nods. "Alright, I'll be there."

"It's settled then," Victor says, standing back up. "We'll see you there."

Victor and Graham walk away.

Shortly after, the girls decide to head back to their rooms for a nap, before getting ready for dinner.

Emma is woken up from her nap by the door to the room opening. Mary Margaret appears a second later.

"Hey Emma, were you able to sleep?" Mary Margaret asks, sitting on her bed.

"Yeah, and you?"

Her friend shakes her head no. "No, so I went to see the guys upstairs, I didn't want to disturb you."

Emma nods. "Thanks. How are they?"

"Turns out David and Will got food poisoning. They think it's something they ate at the beach buffet yesterday."

"Wow, okay. That certainly puts a damper on their trip." Mary Margaret nods. "But what about August? If he's not sick, where has he been all day?"

"Apparently he was on the beach, waiting for us."

"On the beach? How come we didn't see him?"

Mary Margaret shrugs. "I don't know. Poor him, I feel bad he was alone all day."

Emma nods. She certainly feels a bit bad, but on the other hand, she enjoyed spending the day with the girls only. And with how the guys had behaved the night before about dinner, she needed to be away from them for a while.

Mary Margaret stands and goes to the closet. "What are you wearing tonight?" she asks Emma, pulling on the bottom of one of her dresses for inspection.

"I don't know," Emma responds, picking at the comforter. "I'm not sure I'll go."

Mary Margaret rounds up on her instantly. "Emma, you can tell me you'll have hated it when we'll be back." That's all she says before she goes back to the closet and selects a dress, then ducks in the bathroom to change.

Emma can't help but feel apprehensive about the upcoming evening. She has never been one for crowded places. Her idea of a good time is more about sitting with friends, enjoying a meal and drinks, and talking together.

With that, she slowly stands up from her bed and makes her way to the closet to look through her dresses. Choosing comfort over style, she selects her favourite black dress. It is sleeveless, and the V-neck shows just enough skin for the dress to be sexy, while still being modest. She pairs it with black cropped leggings and her favourite roman sandals. Satisfied, she changes while waiting for her friend to get out of the bathroom.

Mary Margaret comes back into the room a few minutes later, so Emma takes her turn in the bathroom to take care of her hair. She pulls it up in a high ponytail. After applying a light make-up, she deems herself ready to go. As she steps outside of the bathroom, there is a knock at their room door. She opens it, revealing Belle and Ruby.

"Hey," Emma greets them, opening the door wider to let them in.

"Hey, are you guys ready?" Ruby asks.

"Yep!" Mary Margaret exclaims, grabbing her travel size cross body purse, in which she had put both her and Emma's money and ID for their evening out.

They exit the room and make their way to the buffet. They grab their usual table, in case the guys decide to join them. Which they do, a little while later, just as the girls start to eat. David and Will don't eat much, obviously, but it looks like August hasn't eaten in days, the way he stuffs his mouth.

Emma's glad she isn't sitting beside him. With the way her talk with him had gone the previous day, she doesn't know how to act around him. It was nice to talk to someone, but what he told her, or rather, the way he told her what he thought, doesn't really sit well with her.

She mentally shakes her head at herself. This is not the time to dwell on it.

The conversation is slow around her. Things seem a bit tense between Mary Margaret and David, as well as between Will and Belle. The events of the previous night seem to have been like a bucket of ice on everyone. However, Emma doesn't feel all that affected. She doesn't owe anyone here anything. So what if there was a misunderstanding? They should just forget about it and move on, just like her. But apparently, it's easier said than done.

When they are done eating, they head out to the lobby's entrance to wait for the bus that would pick them up and drive them to the club. Again, while they wait, the atmosphere is tensed among the group, but slightly less than in the dining room. Conversation is easier. Mary Margaret is sitting between David's legs; Will and Belle are talking quietly.

At about 9:30 PM, a bus pulls up. A middle-aged, Mexican man steps out of the bus, and calls out for the Coco Bongo. Several people around them stand up and slowly make their way to the man. The girls say goodbye to the guys before joining the crowd. After giving their name and finding seats, it isn't long before the bus finally departs for Playa Del Carmen. On the road, an introduction video to the club is played. It's nothing like Emma expected. Sure, Mary Margaret had told a little about the place, but seeing a video gives her a better idea. Maybe she'll enjoy herself, after all…

Once their bus is parked in a secure parking garage along several other buses, the girls follow the crowd. It's barely a 5-minutes' walk to the club's entrance, but there is a long waiting line. Once they find the end of the line, Emma and Ruby go in search of a bathroom, not knowing how long it will take to get inside the club. It takes longer than anticipated, but the two girls still manage to sneak into one quickly.

"Everything okay?" Mary Margaret asks once they are back in line. "I was starting to get worried.

"Yeah," Emma responds, "it's just that apparently you can't have access to a bathroom without being a customer. But we managed."

It's another long while before they can see the entrance to the club. Just as they are stepping closer to the door, Emma sees Graham and Killian standing close by and points them out to her friends. When they notice them, both men greet the girls with hugs and kisses, before promising them to find them later and stepping away from them.

And then it is their turn to get inside the club. When they step through the door, there are waiters waiting for them with drinks. They each grab one then get on their way, following the signs. After going down a flight of stairs, they stop at a booth to show their tickets. The teller exchanges the tickets for bracelets. Ruby and Emma knock back tequila shots after they get through security.

The club, Emma notices, is built high. There is also some sort of central, square stage where several girls are dancing. Looking up, she notices a stage bordered with rails. From her standing point though, she can't see what's happening on the stage, as it is one floor above them.

It takes a while and a few awkward spots, but when Mary Margaret pulls them to the middle of the dancefloor, at the foot of the square stage, this is when the real fun starts for the group.

Emma abandons herself to the music and ambiance. She is feeling euphoric, and incredibly well in her skin. This is the first time Emma feels this way. For the first time in her life, she is with friends that accept her for who she is.

At some point, Emma notices that Victor has made his appearance and is already glued to Ruby's side… or rather, any part of her that is close to him while they are dancing. Emma has to laugh. The guy is persistent; she has to give him that.

Soon, Graham finds them, and Killian is not far behind. Ricardo is there as well. Graham and Ricardo start to dance with the girls while Killian, Emma notices, heads to the bar. When he comes back, he settles beside Graham, putting his drink on the table in front of him.

"May I have this dance?" she hears a charming voice from behind and turns around. Killian is looking at her, his blue eyes sparkling, a cheeky smile in place. It's impossible to decline, so she finds herself in his arms again

At first, Emma feels slightly awkward; she barely touches him. As if sensing her discomfort, Killian holds her like when they danced together in the lobby bar, making her twirl a few times. It makes her laugh, so she relaxes, and she slowly gets closer to him.

After a while they stop, if only to catch their breath a little and have a sip at their drinks. When Emma lifts her glass to her lips, she notices it's full of confetti from earlier's blow out. Put out, she puts her glass back down on the table and looks around to see if there is another salvageable drink. A glass free of confetti suddenly appears in her line of vision. Turning her head, she notices it is Killian offering his own drink. Smiling in thanks, she asks him what it is before taking a sip. She doesn't catch his answer, if he even heard her, but by the taste, she guesses it is rum and coke. The coolness of the drink does wonders on her overheated body.

Feeling the alcohol relaxing her muscles some more, Emma starts swaying her hips to the music again. It's only a moment before she feels herself being pulled back against a solid chest and an arm wraps around her middle. She recognizes the careful touch as Killian's.

Emma's thoughts come to a screeching halt, and guilt creeps in. Thoughts of Neal start to flood her mind.

It's only dancing, Emma, she tries to convince herself. There's nothing wrong with dancing with another man.

Looking around her, Emma notices that Mary Margaret is dancing with Ricardo, and is rather enjoying herself. Her mind put at ease, she settles in Killian's embrace and follows his movements.

As she takes another sip from his drink, she looks around and sees that Victor and Ruby are kissing. Smiling, she flags Mary Margaret and points to the couple.

"Looks like Victor finally got what he wanted!" Emma tells Mary Margaret over the music. The latter nods.

"And it's not the first time they're actually kissing tonight," Mary Margaret says in a laugh. Emma looks back at her in surprise, and Mary Margaret nods.

The crowd gets suddenly separated in two by the security crew to make way for a Batman impersonator. He steps up onto the square stage, and Spider-Man comes down from the ceiling. The two characters engage in a choreographed fight to the sound of the music, and then it's over as quickly as it started. The characters depart to the crowd's cheers and the party picks up again.

Now Emma understands better the costumed staff, and what was happening on stage earlier when Lady Marmalade came on.

While taking another short break from dancing, Killian empties his drink, so he pulls her to the bar. There, while they wait for one of the bartenders to take their order, he pulls her to his chest, his free arm encircling her, his hand resting lightly on her stomach.

His proximity unsettles Emma. But not because it makes her uncomfortable. No… it unsettles her because she likes it, she's comfortable, it feels like… No, Emma, don't go there. Just enjoy the moment.

"Do you want anything?" she hears Killian ask by her ear.

"Whatever you're having is fine," she replies at his ear, a hand on the opposite side of his face. She feels tingles in her hand when she pulls it away.

Seeing Belle standing at a table on her own, seemingly bored, Emma disentangles herself from Killian, quickly telling him she's going back with her friends, and then makes her way to Belle.

"You alright?" Emma asks, shouting to try to be heard over the music.

Belle shakes her head no and points to Emma's right. Turning her head around, Emma first wonders what Belle was pointing at, when she notices Graham, hands busy on some unknown blonde's body, and his mouth avidly devouring hers. She shoots her friend a sympathetic look then gives her a side hug. It was Graham who had convinced Belle to come tonight, after all, so he could have at least extended the courtesy to be her dance partner for the night. Or part of it, at least.

"He's clearly a jackass, forget about him and have fun," Emma advises.

Belle gives her two thumbs up, sips at her drink and starts dancing again. Emma laughs and starts dancing as well.

Killian is back at her side as she sees Ruby being dragged by one of the security guys. She is shocked at first, but when she sees he makes her step up on the square stage, she laughs. As she steps out of the way to let the same security guy walk away, another one passes her by and grabs her wrist, pulling her to the stage too. Once she's settled at Ruby's side, she is slightly awkward, not really liking the attention this could bring on herself.

These people don't know you, Emma. And no one has made any comment about how you dance. So shut up and enjoy, she muses.

So with that, Emma takes a deep breath and picks up dancing again. Mary Margaret soon notices them, so she takes out her phone and takes a few pictures. Ruby embraces Emma while doing the devil's horns hand gesture in Mary Margaret's direction with her free hand. Emma just lets herself feel the moment and smiles widely for the camera. Once Mary Margaret has put her phone away, Emma looks at Killian and shrugs in his direction with a small smile, but he doesn't react, which she finds slightly strange. However, she chooses not to dwell on it and to just enjoy the moment.

Ruby steps down from the stage first, and Emma follows a few minutes later. She gets back to Killian's side and sips at her drink, and then she starts dancing with him again. After a while, she notices that Killian seems more possessive all of a sudden. He holds her closer to his body, and he is bolder in his touch, his hands wandering. She brings them back to areas she is more comfortable with a few times, but when he lowers them towards her crotch, she looks pointedly at him while bringing them back higher. She feels his chuckle more than she hears it, as her back is against his chest, but he keeps his hands in safe areas from then on.

Suddenly, Ne-Yo's Put Your Hands On comes on. Emma thinks of how cliché this is, but she also can't help but let herself follow Killian's movements to the song. At first, she feels slightly awkward as she's never done this before, but Killian helps her find a rhythm that suits her. Putting his hands on her hips, he pulls her closer to his body – as if that was even possible – and guides her into a left to right, fluid motion. When she gets the hang of it, she becomes bolder in her movements, bringing her arms up in the air to invite him to follow. He does, slowly bringing his hands up her body to find her hands, his fingertips lightly grazing her skin, leaving a warm trail that has her trembling with sudden desire. He links their fingers together then brings their hands down to her stomach, kissing the junction between her shoulder and neck lightly. Emma feels tingles run all the way down to her toes, and she likes it. And she wants more. She detaches one of her hands and brings it up to his hair, lightly scratching. She feels the vibrations of a groan on her back, and then Killian drops another light kiss, this time on her cheek. She bites down on her lip, moaning lightly as more tingles run down her spine. She is thankful she is in a club and nobody could hear her. His free hand goes up to her bicep, his fingertips lightly grazing her skin again.

Emma feels feverish, but it has nothing to do with being sick. The heat is coiling in her stomach, and she wants more. She drops her head to Killian's shoulder and turns it so that her nose grazes his ear. Again, she feels the vibrations of Killian's groan on her back before he detaches her hand from his hair and spins her around. He pulls her back into his body so that one of his legs is between both of hers. Her arms go around his neck and she puts back one of her hands into his hair, scratching lightly again. Their bodies undulate together, to the rhythm of the sensual music, one of Killian's hands on her hip, and the other at her lower back, almost touching her ass. As much as she wasn't comfortable with it earlier, she'd give pretty much anything now for him to squeeze it lightly. His hands feel incredible, like they were made to mold to her body perfectly. He seems to know just how much pressure to apply to make her want more.

She pulls herself even closer and starts to undulate her body against his. On her second time up, his hand on her hip goes up to her ponytail and he tangles his fingers in her hair before putting pressure at the base of her skull to pull her in slowly. She faintly smells his soap, and it vaguely reminds her of the ocean. She loves it. He runs his lips against her jaw before pressing them to hers lightly, and he moves back slightly just as quickly. Drunk on him, Emma whimpers and chases his lips. He responds immediately with undisguised passion, devouring her lips, battling his tongue with hers for control. He tastes like spices, most likely due to the rum, and she thinks it fits him.

Emma stops dancing, lost in the sensations he is provoking. She has never been kissed with so much passion and abandon. She has never felt so cherished by a simple kiss. She is surrounded by Killian's warmth and she wants to get lost in it and never be found. One of her hands goes down to his chest, wanting to feel more of him.

Neal briefly comes to mind, as she knows she should be feeling guilty for kissing another man while still being in a relationship. She should even be angry at herself, at Killian. But she feels nothing of that in this moment. For the first time in a long time, she feels free. Free in her choices. Free to be herself.

Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit opening chords only exacerbates that feeling. Pulling away from Killian, she starts jumping up and down and singing the song at the top of her lungs. The song has no real signification, but she loves that song so much, and she's so happy in that moment. She looks at Killian and he is smiling at her, jumping with her.

At some point while the song is still playing, he grabs her hand and pulls her away from her friends. She taps at his hand when he reaches the bottom of a staircase, wanting to know where he's going. He only spins around and pulls her flush against his hard body, kissing her again with renewed vigour.

Once again, she gets lost in him, in the feelings he evokes in her. She even feels herself tear up at this myriad of sensations, because she is happy. It is like she is pulled into a maelstrom of happiness that she doesn't want to escape from.

When they pull away for some much needed air, Killian pulls her forehead up to his for a moment, as if drinking her in. Emma can only smile, grab his hand again and pull him back to their group.

A few more hours and a bit – okay, a lot – more of kissing later, it's time for the girls to leave to catch their bus back to the resort. Emma's legs are heavy, her hearing is muffled, she feels slightly dizzy, but there is no denying that the night was beyond her expectations.

When they reach the parking garage, Emma notices that Victor, Ricardo and Killian have followed them. The latter reaches for Emma's hand.

"I will see you tomorrow?" he asks her. Emma can't help but notice his hopeful tone.

She gives him a shy smile and nods. He smiles back, then lets her go.

Once the girls are seated in the bus, Mary Margaret turns to Emma.

"So?" is all she asks.

Emma can only smile widely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review? :o)


	7. Siete

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay guys, getting adapted to my new place is a bit harder than I thought, and I've also been super busy with getting settled and everything. Here's chapter 7, I hope you like it.
> 
> Disclaimer: I still don't own anything except the plot and memories that helped me write parts of this story.

Chapter 7 – Day 5

Emma wakes up to the sound of the shower. Looking at her phone on her bedside table, she sees it's 8:17 AM.

"Ugh, too early," she grumbles before turning to her other side and promptly going back to sleep.

She wakes up again sometime later to someone rummaging around the room. She opens her eyes and sees Mary Margaret getting ready for the day. She sits up in her bed, rubbing at her eyes.

"Good morning," Mary Margaret says cheerfully.

"Morning," Emma responds with as much cheer as she can muster after barely 4 hours of sleep.

"I was going to go check on Belle and Ruby to see if they're ready for breakfast. Do you want to come along?"

"Sure. Give me about 20 minutes to get ready."

"No problem. I'll be waiting at one of the tables by the buffet outside."

"Okay, I'll let you know when I'm ready."

Mary Margaret nods before exiting the room.

Emma stretches before getting out of bed to go freshen up in the bathroom. Once that is done, she changes into one of her bikinis and dons a sundress over it. After preparing her beach bag for the day, she peeks out of the double doors leading to their balcony: Mary Margaret is sitting at a table, as promised, reading a book. She steps out onto the balcony and waves her arms to try to get Mary Margaret's attention, but it doesn't work.

As she doesn't want to call unwanted attention on herself, Emma decides to go up to her friend, sitting down at the table as well.

"Ready to go?" Mary Margaret asks as she puts her book away.

"Yeah. Where are the girls?"

"They weren't in their room when I knocked earlier. Maybe they're having breakfast at the buffet in the main building."

"Right. We can have a quick look around the room before sitting down."

"Good idea."

With that, they stand and slowly make their way to the main building and to the breakfast buffet. They sit down after doing a quick sweep of the room and not finding their friends. They eat breakfast quickly, then head back out and check the spots they could think the girls could be, given their habits of the last few days, but don't find them. Mary Margaret gets slightly agitated by this.

"Let's go to the beach," Emma suggests. "They'll turn up at some point."

"Yeah," Mary Margaret answers distractedly. "They should have told us where they would be. Or at least leave us a note to know where to find them."

Emma doesn't comment, sensing that it wouldn't change anything anyway. Belle had confided into her the day before that her and Ruby felt like Mary Margaret was babying all of them. They're all adults, after all, so they should all be free to do whatever they want, whenever they want.

So in some way, Emma understands that Belle and Ruby are taking their distances from Mary Margaret for a few hours.

When they get to the beach, Emma and Mary Margaret settle in their usual spot, so that their friends could find them easily.

"So, you enjoyed yourself last night?" Mary Margaret asks in an odd cheerful tone.

Emma eyes her wearily before answering. "Yes, very much. You were right to tell me I'd like it."

Mary Margaret scoffs. "Yeah, you liked it alright."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emma asks, offended.

"Emma, you know I love you, but I don't feel quite well with what you did last night, with Killian." Emma feels as if she had just been slapped in the face. Hard. "You basically cheated on Neal. I'm all for having fun, but I think you went a bit too far."

She doesn't quite know what to respond to that. This turn of events is very unsettling, and it sends her in a spiral of self-doubt. What the hell had she done? Emma can't stand cheaters, and now she has become one?

Emma doesn't respond to Mary Margaret. She settles down into her beach chair and attempts to distract herself with her book.

After a while, she gives up, her mind too much in overdrive to concentrate. Looking around, she sees Ruby and Belle slowly making their way over to them.

"Hey girls!" Mary Margaret calls out. "Where have you been?"

"We were at the pool, enjoying the entertainment," Ruby replies.

"You didn't wait for us this morning?" Mary Margaret asks as calmly as she can. Emma can sense that she is slightly offended, but prefers not to get involved as she doesn't mind that Belle and Ruby went their own way. And she couldn't give a damn about Mary Margaret's feelings at the moment.

"We were up early; we didn't want to disturb you," Belle answers wearily.

"I was up early too," Mary Margaret counters.

"Well, we were up by 7. We didn't know if you were up, so we decided to go for breakfast, then to the pool. We thought you would find us eventually."

The pool is the only place they hadn't thought to look, Emma thinks, but doesn't feel like adding in her two cents. She doesn't feel like being judged even more for her failures.

"Are you joining us?" Mary Margaret asks in that odd cheerful tone again.

"Sure, we wanted to take a break from the entertainment at the pool anyway. We left our stuff there to save our places, if we want to go back later," Ruby replies, going to grab a chair.

Mary Margaret nods and lays back down on her chair, putting her sunglasses back into place. Emma watches her for a second, frowning, then turns her attention back to the book inher lap. Belle pulls up a chair close to her and sits down, leaning towards Emma.

"What's Mary Margaret 's problem today?" Belle says in a low voice.

"For some reason, she's offended you didn't wait for us this morning," Emma mumbles.

Belle giggles lightly at that comment, not picking up on her sour mood.

"Let me know if you want to go for a swim, I'll go with you," Belle adds before lying down on her chair.

"Will do," Emma responds in a dismissive tone.

A little while later, the guys make their appearance. David goes to take a seat under the same umbrella as Mary Margaret. Emma finds it slightly odd that he doesn't kiss her or talk to her, but doesn't dwell on it.

"Did you lassies have fun last night?" Will asks after settling down on his chair.

"Absolutely!" Belle answers enthusiastically. "It was so much fun! Right Emma?"

"Oh yeah," Emma says in a flat tone. "It was great."

"Good," Will says with a smile. "So what happened?"

"Uh uh," Belle replies immediately with a mysterious smile, "what happens at the Coco Bongo, remains at the Coco Bongo. If you wanted to know what happened there, you had to come."

"What? Why won't you say what happened there? What's this about?" Will asks, offended.

"What the hell is your problem, Will?" Belle replies angrily. "We promised each other that what happens there stays there, and there's nothing you can do about it. I'm going for a walk," she adds, getting up from her chair and walking away.

"I'm going with you." Emma says, finally seeing an opening to get away from the others for a while.

They walk in silence for a while. Emma can feel the anger rolling off of Belle, and she completely understands. Will had no right to get angry like that; it's not as if he and Belle are together anyway. She doesn't owe him anything.

"What's up everyone's asses today?" Belle suddenly asks in another fit of anger. "I mean… I don't answer to him or anyone for that matter."

"I know," Emma replies quietly. "It looks like something happened between Mary Margaret and David; he didn't even kiss her or say hi to her when he sat down. How about we go to the pool for a while?"

Belle nods and they walk in the direction of the entertainment pool. They step into the water to cool down and look towards the entertainment corner to watch what is going on.

As Emma looks on, she can't help but notice Killian's absence. He's usually the one with the microphone.

"Have you seen Killian?" Emma asks Belle as she keeps looking around, in the hopes of seeing him appear.

"No, I haven't seen him at all. You could ask Victor or Ricardo."

Emma nods. "Yeah, I'll do that."

When she sees Victor walking away from the entertainment team, she sees her opportunity, so she makes her way out of the pool and walks up to him.

"Hey Victor!" She calls when she's closer. He turns around when he hears her.

"Oh, hey Emma. Did you guys have fun last night?"

Emma smiles slightly. "Yeah, tons of fun, thanks."

"Great," Victor smiles back.

"Is Killian around?"

"Uh, no, he has a day off."

The pang of disappointment that hits her surprises Emma. Why would he tell her he'd see her the next day when he's not even there? Was he only playing her? Had he been there only on job duty?

"Hey, are you alright?" Victor asks.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Thanks Victor."

He nods at her with a frown before he walks away. Emma goes back into the pool in a haze. Why is she feeling such disappointment? It's not like she knows Killian well. Again, he was probably there as a job requirement, nothing more, and telling her he'd see her the next day was just to get her off his back. But then again, he had sought her out, not the other way around.

"So?" Belle asks as Emma gets back at her side.

"He's off today."

Belle is silent for a moment, observing Emma. "You look disappointed."

Emma frowns, but nods, not saying anything.

"Well, it's understandable; he did tell you he'd see you later."

Emma nods again, still silent.

Belle frowns lightly. "But you had fun last night. And that's mostly thanks to him."

Emma nods, looking down and biting on her lower lip.

Belle smiles gently. "There's nothing wrong with seeking his company, Emma. Especially if he makes you feel good."

"You really think so?" Emma asks suddenly, as she was expecting another spout about infidelity. "I mean, I kissed him. Several times. And I enjoyed it. I was cheating on Neal!"

"Emma, what happened this morning?" Belle asks worriedly. Emma remains silent. "Did Mary Margaret tell you this?" Against her better judgement, Emma nods. "God, that woman sometimes… Emma, please forgive my bluntness, but... Yes, technically, you were cheating on Neal. You haven't broken up with him yet, so it is considered cheating. But it's clear your heart isn't with him anymore. Some cheat because they just can't remain faithful, others out of spite, and others because they want to move on to something else, but are doing things a bit in the wrong order. And I think that third option applies to you. You know what you did was wrong, and I don't think that's something you would do out of spite. I won't hold it against you, neither will Ruby. And Mary Margaret shouldn't be either."

Emma only nods and looks back to the entertainment corner. Sometime later, they make their way back to the beach and find Mary Margaret alone with August. Emma looks around and notices that Ruby, David and Will are nowhere in sight.

"Where are the others?" Belle asks.

There is no response from August. Upon closer inspection, Emma notices he's asleep. Mary Margaret isn't, however, so Emma wonders why she's remaining silent. She walks around her chair to face her.

"Mary Margaret, is everything alright?" Emma asks softly.

"Just fine," Mary Margaret replies curtly. "David and Will went back to their room, they weren't feeling well, and Ruby's gone for a walk."

"Alright…" Emma trails off before walking back to her chair. She and Belle share a look.

Things remain tense among the group for the remainder of the afternoon.

That night, they have a reservation at the resort's Japanese restaurant. As the group heads back to the rooms to get changed, the tension escalates some more between Belle and Mary Margaret as they discuss dinner. Apparently, Mary Margaret had gone to that restaurant the previous year and wasn't all that impressed, so she isn't really interested in going back.

"Then why did we make a reservation for the entire group?" Belle asks, exasperated.

"In case the guys wanted to go."

Belle gapes at Mary Margaret. "They weren't really interested when we booked the reservation, why would they be interested now? Why insist on booking reservations for the entire group? We don't have to be all together all the time!"

Mary Margaret doesn't reply and walks away to her room.

"We'll meet out here later?" Emma asks Ruby and Belle. August had sneaked away during the argument.

"Yeah," Ruby answers. "Whoever's ready first goes to the other's room."

"Perfect," Emma replies before walking away.

When she steps inside the room, she hears the shower running. As she rummages through her suitcase for clean underwear and shoes, Emma thinks about the turn of events. She wonders how things have gone south so quickly.

Something's not quite right between Mary Margaret and David, and Mary Margaret responds to that by taking out her frustration on everyone. She and David need to talk, but Emma decides it's none of her business for now. She's pissed at Mary Margaret for being judgmental. She has pretty much ruined the night at the Coco Bongo now.

David, Will, August and Mary Margaret go to the buffet while Ruby, Belle and Emma go to the Japanese restaurant. They are ahead of their reservation time, for once, and have no trouble with the staff.

Dinner is delicious. Emma doesn't understand what made Mary Margaret say that this place was average.

Once they are done, they head to the Hacienda to meet the rest of the group. They enjoy the live band together and when it leaves, they head to the Corona bar. Ruby has a date with Victor once again… and Emma secretly hopes that Killian will be there too. He is nowhere in sight when they sit down but, just as she was starting to think about leaving, she feels a hand on her shoulder. Without even looking up, she knows it's him. She feels heat spreading throughout her body.

"Hello love," he whispers at her ear.

And then he is sitting in the chair to her left. He greets his friends around the table before turning his attention to her, giving her a crooked smile. She gives him a shy smile back.

"How are you?" he asks, sounding genuinely curious.

"I'm good, though a bit tired. I went to bed at like 4 AM and woke up at around 8:30 AM. I'm running on very little sleep today."

"Ah, I know love, but believe me, it's nothing like what I'm used to."

She can't help but feel slightly hurt by his words. Of course, she doesn't know his reality, but he'd asked how she felt, and she told him as much. It's like he disregarded completely how she's feeling, like he only asked to be polite. Maybe he's no better than Graham, after all.

"Did you enjoy your time last night?" she hears him ask. She nods and smiles slightly, but it feels forced. She's not entirely sure of his honesty anymore.

Silence falls between them. He gets in a few words in his friends' conversation, but doesn't speak to her. She even feels an awkwardness settling between them. To say that she is disappointed is an understatement. She had been looking forward to seeing him again all day. As everyone around her seems to be enjoying themselves, she pulls out her phone from her clutch and checks out her emails and Facebook homepage to pass the time until they leave.

"Is everything okay, Emma?" she suddenly hears Mary Margaret ask. Emma nods without looking up from her phone. She knows her disappointment will show on her face, and she doesn't want her friend hovering at the moment.

She needs to make sense of this rejection she is feeling, to understand what may have happened in between last night and tonight on her own. Killian's apparent change of heart is more painful than she'd like.

When she thinks she has schooled her features enough to not show her pain, Emma puts her phone back into her clutch and looks around. As her friends aren't talking much, she turns her attention to Killian and his friends. Some of them barely speak English, so they speak mostly Spanish. She tries to follow, but the little bit of Spanish she had learned in school is not sufficient to follow the conversation.

At one point, Killian turns back around to her. "Come to Playa Del Carmen with me," he says, hope written all over his face.

Emma is confused. His mood swings are giving her whiplash. His offer is tempting, but she doesn't know him all that well. Who knows what could happen with a bunch of strangers, in Mexico no less.

So she tries to let him down as softly as possible. "It sounds fun, but… I can't. I'm really tired, I had a long day, and I wouldn't be of very good company. Maybe some other time?"

She can see his face fall at her rejection. Maybe he wasn't all that disinterested, after all… Emma feels slightly guilty for saying no, but she said the truth. She won't be able to stay up much longer. The day's events have taken their toll on her.

"Alright lass. I'll see you later?" he asks, but just as she opens her mouth to respond, he stands up and starts to leave. Her only comfort is the hand he puts on her shoulder. She gives it a quick squeeze before he walks away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review please? :o)


	8. Siete - KPOV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so, so sorry! I've been so busy... Here is a first glimpse into Killian's mind. There will be a few of these throughout the story. I hope you like it.
> 
> Please note that I am not familiar with work permits procedures and all that, so I went freely with that in this story.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT or any of the characters depicted in the show, and all that jazz.

Chapter 7A

Pain. That's the first thing his brain registers when he wakes up. He hasn't felt so much pain in his left hand in quite a while.

"Bloody hell," he grumbles, sitting up in his bed and rubbing at his face with his right hand.

He tries to flex his fingers, but blinding pain stops him. He cries out. Shaking, he leaves the comfort of his bed and makes a beeline for the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, reaching for his pain medication. He swallows two of the little pills, then goes back to bed and waits for magic to occur.

When he feels the pain starting to subside, he sighs, then slowly makes his way to the kitchen to get some breakfast. Sitting down with eggs and toasts, he plunges his hand in a bowl full of warm water to help with the pain some more.

Killian was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at 20 years old. He had been living with painful joints since he was a teenager, but the pain had always been manageable. One day, as he was doing something as mundane as putting on a shirt, blinding pain in his left hand paralyzed him for several minutes. When his usual tricks to get rid of the pain didn't work, he consulted with the ship's doctor, who delivered the news.

The diagnosis was reported to his superiors, who had no choice but to assign him to desk duties. Humiliated, Killian left the Navy, and any dreams he had to follow in his brother's footsteps disappeared.

Fortunately enough, Liam had not shown any disappointment. He had even been rather understanding, and encouraged Killian to go to university.

Killian chose architecture, to later specialize in naval architecture. While he was in the Navy, he would spend a lot of time describing to his fellow sailors how he would have designed this or that differently for more space or efficiency. And since the sea had always been Killian's home, it was a no brainer for him to go into yacht design.

Yachts are like floating homes, so he thought there was no better way to join his two passions by trying to create a home for potential clients looking to buy a yacht.

He had even started to design the ship of his dreams. A ship he had had hope to have built for himself one day.

But he'd left that drawing in Ireland, in the house he had shared with Liam, and to which he has been unable to return after his death.

All of his dreams had vanished up in smoke on that horrible day.

Feeling himself tear up, Killian shakes his head to get rid of the resurfacing memories and calls his boss to take a sick day. Surprisingly, she understands, tells him to take care and that she would see him the next day.

"That's a new one," he comments out loud after hanging up, looking at his phone.

Flexing his painful hand, he tries to think of what he could do today. He heads to the bedroom he shares with Luis to get dressed. Pulling on his shoes, he notices that they are very worn out. Deciding he needs new shoes, he decides to go look for a new pair in Playa Del Carmen. He hasn't gotten new shoes since his arrival in Mexico.

As an entertainer on a Mexico resort, Killian doesn't have much to complain about: he is working by the ocean, under the sun. It's as close to his dream as he can get at the moment. His salary doesn't allow him many luxuries, though. Out of the meager $600 per month he earns, half of it goes to rent. Oh, his employer offers lodging for his fabulous crew, that's not the problem. The problem is that almost half of his earnings go – or rather stay – in his employer's pockets to keep his place among the team, and to have a roof over his head.

The thing is, however, that his employer does not make it easy for him to want to stay. As the leader of the entertainment team, the others owe him at least some respect. He doesn't have that much of a problem with Victor and Graham, as they've been there at least as long as he, but the newer ones just… don't care, and it angers him. He'd never had this problem when he was in the Navy, but then again, it was the Navy. Insubordination came with a high cost. His boss assures him that she's doing what she can, but since nothing has changed, he wonders if she takes him seriously.

Sitting down in the collectivo that would take him to Playa Del Carmen, Killian shakes his head to get rid of the anger. This is not the time or place.

As he watches the scenery go by, his thoughts turn to the previous night, and a small smile stretches his lips.

Emma.

She is the unexpected ray of light to his endless darkness.

Like a lot of things in his life, he had not seen her coming. She had quite literally stumbled into it, and he didn't want her to disappear. He is well aware that he barely knows her, but he can't help but think that she's not only passing through his life. He believes he will see her again, that their meeting is not pure coincidence.

He can only hope that she believes the same thing.

Once the collectivo drops him off in Playa Del Carmen, he immediately sets in search of a shoe store. It takes longer than he would have liked, but he finally finds something suiting his small budget close to the touristic area of 5th Avenue.

He decides to play tourist for a while and stops at one of the smaller jewellery stands. Killian Jones is a simple man, but he does enjoy jewellery. He browses the selection, not looking for anything in particular, when a feather charm catches his eye. Feathers are symbols of delicacy and strength.

And this makes him immediately think of Emma again.

She seems so delicate, but she also radiates strength. So he buys the charm, not even bothering to negotiate the price.

He walks away with a skip in his step, feeling better.

When he gets back to his room, Killian first heads to his bedroom to drop off his purchases. On his way back out, he notices a white rectangle resting on the top of his comforter. Upon closer inspection, it's an envelope with the Mexican government return address. Frowning, he opens the envelope and pulls out a single sheet, folded in 3. Unfolding it, he starts to read. Then punches the wall.

"Bloody motherfuckers!" he roars.

"Killian?" he hears Victor call. "Is everything alright?"

His friend comes into the room. Without a word, Killian thrusts the letter in Victor's hands. The latter looks worriedly at Killian for a moment before dropping his gaze to the letter.

Killian paces the room, feeling like a caged animal. How could they do this to him?

"What the fuck?" Victor exclaims.

"This is the resort's way to fire me without actually doing it."

This letter, informing him that his work permit was expiring in one month since his employer had failed to renew it, comes as a very unwelcome surprise. The letter also mentions that to be eligible again for the work permit, he has to go back to his native country for at least six months.

Ireland. Killian hadn't stepped foot in his home country in at least three years. And he wasn't sure he was ready to go back. His last memories were not pleasant, to say the least, and it had been the stage for Liam's death.

Killian hadn't even been able to go back for his brother's funeral, the pain and guilt eating him alive. They had slightly faded with time, but they were still very much present, a constant reminder of his failure.

"Killian?" Victor's voice brings him out of his thoughts.

"Aye?" he responds distractedly.

"Are you okay?" his friend asks worriedly.

"Just fine, mate," he responds dismissively.

Victor huffs slightly. "Killian, come on."

"I don't want to talk about it, mate," Killian interrupts him, growing more and more agitated. "So bugger off."

Victor wordlessly raises his hands in surrender, drops the letter on Killian's bed and leaves the room.

Killian clenches his jaw, both in frustration and at the pain starting again in his hand. He tries to massage his joints, but he is so tense that his hands are shaking, so he gives up.

The idea of going back to Ireland had started to grow in his mind, but he thought he would have a bit more time to pour over it before making a final decision. But it turns out that, once again, life decided for him, and he doesn't have a word to say about it.

Will he ever get a chance to choose his own path? He wonders as he lies down on his bed. They say that life throws you the challenges you can handle. Killian scoffs at that. He's not sure he will be able to handle much more. The past 10 years can only be summarized as a succession of losses for him. He has no family left. What else could he lose?

Feeling suddenly hungry, he goes to the kitchen and rummages through the cupboards to find a snack.

"Hey," Victor says softly.

Killian jumps slightly in surprise, having not noticed he was still there.

"I have another date with Ruby tonight," Victor continues. "Want to come with? Maybe Emma will be there," he trails off.

He ponders over Victor's offer for a moment. The thought of seeing Emma again definitely makes him lean towards agreeing, but his pain, both physical and mental, make him doubt. Would she notice? Would she get a different opinion of him if she knew? Would she think he's a crippled man?

On the other hand, she's here on vacation, she has only a few days left, so he needs to make the most of her time here.

He thinks for a moment of how this would be perceived by his boss if he were to be seen on the resort's premises on a sick day, but he then decides that he doesn't care. They are indirectly firing him through the letter he received earlier, so why should it matter?

"Aye, I will accompany you," he finally replies, picking a banana from a bowl on the counter before making his way back to his room.

"Be ready by 11!" he hears Victor call out.

He doesn't respond. Victor knows he'll be ready. When he hears the front door close, he lets out a sigh. Killian appreciates Victor's concern, but he doesn't understand what this means for him. The fact that he's never told Victor about his past probably doesn't help, but it has never come up.

And Killian didn't come to Mexico to cry over his past. He's here to forget. He has a slight epiphany at that thought. Maybe this letter, this situation with his boss – meeting Emma? – is life's way to tell him it's time to move on.

So it's with excitement and, yes, light anxiety, that he pulls on clean shirt and pants later, and that he's ready by 11.

He feels himself relax slightly when he sees her blonde hair from afar, when he steps foot into the Hacienda courtyard. For a reason he can't quite explain yet, her mere presence grounds him.

When his hand makes contact with her skin, he feels bolts of electricity go up his arm, but he doesn't pull away. Just like the night before, he wants more. He wants to know more about her… he wants to know everything.

He hasn't felt like this in a long time. Not since Milah…

The thought of her darkens his mood, and he feels the pain in his hand growing somehow. So he decides to concentrate on the beautiful blonde beside him.

When he tells her that her being tired is nothing like what he's used to, he feels her pulling up a wall and he internally berates himself for disregarding her feelings. She has obviously had a hard day and he completely dismissed her.

He tries to throw an olive branch by asking her if she'd enjoyed herself last night, but all he receives in return is a nod and a smile that doesn't reach her eyes.

He wants to mend the bridges between them, but he doesn't know how. He concentrates on his friends for a while, putting a word in here and there, but his heart is not into it. He wants the intimacy he'd shared with Emma the night before to return. They had only exchanged a handful of words all night, but he had definitely felt a connection with her, a connection that he would like to explore further, if she'll let him.

After a while, he notices that she is trying to follow his friends' conversation. At the way she is slightly squinting her eyes, he knows she is concentrating to try and decipher what they are saying, as they are speaking Spanish.

They are discussing which bar to hit in Playa Del Carmen later. He agrees to go despite the fact that he's not really in the mood. His hand is painful still, and thoughts of Milah are plaguing his mind, her betrayal still heavy.

Sensing that maybe she'd be more open to him again, he turns back to her. His hope to spend more time with her and hold her in his arms again makes him ask her to accompany him to Playa Del Carmen. Her surprise and confusion are obvious on her features, and her rejection stings more than it should. But he understands. Which is why he lightly squeezes her shoulder as he leaves the bar. Hope flickers in his chest when he feels her hand on his, squeezing back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review :o)


	9. Ocho

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Here's the next chapter! Some sexy times in this chapter ;o), I hope you'll like it. Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT or it's characters, etc., etc., etc.

Chapter 8 – Day 6

Emma wakes up to Mary Margaret getting ready in their shared room.

"Good morning!" Mary Margaret greets her when she sees she's awake.

"Morning." Emma replies slightly begrudgingly. She is still not a morning person. But she knows that today, she has to get up and get ready, because they are going to Cozumel. She has been looking forward to this outing all week, if only for the moped ride.

Once they are both ready, they pick up Ruby and Belle from their room and head to breakfast. The guys follow shortly after. They make it a quick affair, as they want to catch the 10 AM collectivo.

The shuttle drops the group off at the Hacienda. As she makes to follow her friends, Emma loses her balance and falls face first. She is quick enough to reach out her arms to catch herself. Feeling pain in her left foot, she quickly sits up on the curb and removes her shoe.

"Emma, are you alright?" Mary Margaret asks, panicked, and sitting down at her side.

The rest of the group gathers around them. Emma feels herself tear up, from both pain and embarrassment. She lightly shakes her head no, massaging her foot.

"What happened?" Ruby asks.

"I-I'm not sure," Emma responds. "I made to follow you guys, and next thing I know, my foot is too far on the edge of the curb and I somehow twist it and fall."

"You have to put some ice on it," David advises. "Let's go grab a table in there," he adds, pointing to the courtyard beyond the Hacienda's doors.

Emma nods and stands up. As she goes to take a step, David quickly comes at her side and puts her arm around his shoulders.

"Don't put weight on it!" He exclaims. "Will, support her other side." His friend quickly grabs Emma's other arm and together, they help her up the steps and to a table.

The rest of the group follows. Mary Margaret drops Emma's bag on the table and sits close to her while David helps Emma's foot up on another chair. "I'll go and see if I can get you some ice," he says before walking away.

Emma is silent for a while, pondering over this recent event. It's obvious she can't go on this outing anymore. But remaining alone at the resort while the others are having fun isn't all that appealing either…

David comes back with a bag of ice and puts it on Emma's foot. Belle and Ruby go to the surrounding shops while the others remain at the table with Emma.

"How are you feeling, Emma?" David asks after several minutes of silence.

Emma removes the ice from her foot and wiggles it slightly to test the pain. "Well, it's kind of numb right now, so not all that painful, but I don't think I'll be able to walk on it much today. I'm gonna have to stay behind."

"Are you going to be okay by yourself?" Mary Margaret asks worriedly.

"Of course, it'd be nice if someone stayed with me," Emma says with a sad smile, "but I can't force anyone to do that. You guys go ahead to Cozumel, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Mary Margaret asks, still not convinced. Emma nods, although slightly reluctantly. "Alright then."

"Do you want to go by the pool for the day?" David asks.

"Yeah, the one with the Jacuzzi," Emma nods.

David nods, standing up and offering his hand to Emma to help her up. Will comes back to her other side, and they make their way back to the sidewalk to catch a shuttle back to the Tulum lobby. Once there, they slowly start to walk towards the pool with the Jacuzzi.

"You know what?" Emma says as they walk by the entertainment pool. "I'll stay here instead."

"Are you sure, Emma?" Mary Margaret asks skeptically. "It's not very quiet."

"I know, and that's exactly my point. It's another way to entertain myself," Emma replies with a slight smile.

"Alright then," David exclaims just before he bends down to put his hand behind Emma's knees and back and lifts her up in his arms. Emma laughs in surprise, putting her arms around David's neck.

He doesn't put her down before they find her a chair not too far away from the entertainment team's corner. Emma settles on the chair, pulling out her book, towel and bottle of water from her beach bag.

Mary Margaret sits on the edge of the chair. "Do you need anything before we go?"

Emma thinks for a moment. "More ice would be nice."

"I'll get right on it," David says immediately before walking away.

"And my other book," Emma adds in Mary Margaret's direction. "Would you mind getting it from our room? It's in my carry-on. Oh, and more water."

"Of course, I'll be right back," Mary Margaret responds before standing up and walking away.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay by yourself all day?" Belle suddenly asks from a few feet away.

Emma smiles wistfully. "Well, of course being alone and not doing much for most of the day is far from what I had envisioned today to be, but I don't want anyone to feel like they have to stay here. I'm a big girl, I'll be fine." Belle nods, but she doesn't look convinced. Emma suddenly has an idea. Let's kill two birds with one stone. "Hey Belle, you know a bit about my taste in jewellery, right?" Belle nods. "If I give you some cash, can you look around and see if you could find something for me in Cozumel?"

"Of course, Emma," Belle responds with more enthusiasm than before.

"Great," Emma smiles before she digs around in her beach bag for her wallet. Just as she hands over some cash to Belle, Mary Margaret and David come back. David puts the bag of ice on her foot before Mary Margaret hands Emma her book and a bottle of water. "Thanks guys," she tells them gently.

"You're welcome," David says with a gentle smile. "Are you all set?" Emma nods. "Alright. Well I guess we'll be going then. Don't hesitate to ask for help, there are plenty of people around." Emma nods again. "Okay, enjoy your day then, and we'll see you later," he adds before hugging Emma.

"Thanks David, see you later," Emma replies before he pulls away.

"Don't walk around too much, Emma," Mary Margaret commands in a soft tone.

"Yes mom," Emma teases. Mary Margaret fakes being offended before hugging her friend.

"See you later," Mary Margaret says before waving and walking away. Emma waves back at her friends as they leave the pool side.

Once they are out of sight, Emma leans back against her chair with a sigh. She feels herself tear up slightly at the perspective of spending the entire day alone in this spot, but she finally decides to accept her fate and try to enjoy the beautiful day.

Feeling hot, she decides to dress down to her bikini before settling back down with her book. She is able to read through the last few chapters of Pride and Prejudice before she lets herself get distracted by her surroundings.

A big group of people from Italy had arrived the day before and they are occupying pretty much all of the chairs around the pool. They are almost the only ones participating in the activities hosted by the entertainment team.

And that's not to mention all of these men in speedos… not that Italian men are not nice to look at, but those speedos leave little to the imagination, and not in a good way. Several of those men spend more time moving their package around in that scrap of fabric to get comfortable than to enjoy doing whatever they are doing.

Emma snorts at her internal rant.

According to August, this is the norm on Italian beaches. Apparently, Italian authorities do not tolerate anything else than speedos for men on their beaches. Who knows why.

She settles back into her chair with her second book. She is about a chapter in when she feels a warm, familiar hand on her shoulder. She smiles before lifting her gaze up to Killian.

"Good morning, love," he greets her.

"Good morning," she responds softly.

"How are you?" he asks, crouching beside her.

She grimaces lightly. "Well, if you don't count the fact that I twisted my foot earlier and am missing a tour of Cozumel with my friends, I'm perfectly fine."

He frowns in concern. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"There's this dull throbbing, but I put ice on it and it's gotten slightly better. I just need to be careful not to walk too much on it for a while."

He nods, pushing back up into a standing position. "Alright, lass. I have to get back to work, but let me know if you need anything, alright?"

Emma nods. "Thanks Killian."

He winks at her before he walks away. His concern leaves a warm, comforting feeling inside her. She basks in it, comforted by the fact that Killian doesn't seem to be all that upset anymore by her rejection from the night before. She concentrates back on her book on that thought.

A while later, she is distracted from the story by Killian's voice inviting people to go to them to get a pineapple. She leans forward on her chair to look around the bush that is at her side: they have carts full of pineapples carved open with straws sticking out. It's incredibly cheesy, she thinks as she leans back into her chair, but then again, she finds herself wanting one. However, the dull throbbing in her foot decides for her: better to stay put.

Just as she is diving back into her book, a pineapple, decorated with cherries as eyes and an orange slice for a mouth, enters her line of vision. Surprised, she looks up. Killian winks at her, handing her the pineapple, before hurrying back to the entertainment corner.

Emma feels another wave of warmth overtaking her senses. It was incredibly sweet of Killian to even think about saving one of those pineapples for her. Before tasting the drink, she takes a picture and posts it on her Facebook page, with the caption A little comfort on a day that didn't start very well, thanks to Killian.

Sometime later, she decides to check on her Facebook as she is coming out of the pool. She finds that a few people have liked her earlier post, and there is also a comment from Ruby: "Well, well, well… someone is being treated like a princess while we're away ;)" Emma has to laugh at that. She does feel like a princess at the moment, but for once, she's not feeling guilty about it. She must even admit that she likes it. Emma taps at the "like" button and puts her phone back into her beach bag. It's a good thing Neal closed his account a few months ago and that none of his friends are friends with her on there, she thinks.

More time passes as Emma reads some more between dips in the pool to cool down, as she is sitting in direct sunlight. When the people occupying the umbrella closest to her, vacate it, she jumps on the occasion and switches seats.

She feels her eyelids drooping all of a sudden, so she decides to close her eyes for a while and rest. She dozes lightly when she hears someone approaching and sitting on the chair she vacated a little while earlier. Opening her eyes and turning her head, she finds Killian sitting there with a smile.

"Hey," she greets him happily.

"Hello again, love. How's your foot?"

"Better, thanks."

"So tell me, lovely Emma, where are you from?"

"United States," Emma responds, blushing at his compliment.

"I gathered as much. The accent," he adds when he sees her questioning look.

She smirks. "Speaking of accent, where are you from, Killian? You're clearly not Mexican."

"Alas no, love. I'm from Ireland," he responds proudly.

She wonders for a moment what an Irish man is doing working in Mexico, but it's not really much of her business.

"How are you enjoying Mexico?" he asks her curiously.

"I love it so far," Emma responds honestly. "Very relaxing."

"And you came here with friends?"

Emma nods. "We all needed to get away from our lives for a while, so here we are."

"And what was your incentive, love?"

She contemplates him for a moment, doubt suddenly clouding her mind. Can she really trust him? Oh, what the hell, she mentally chides herself, it's not like it's a secret.

"Well… the past several months have been shitty at best with my boyfriend."

"Bloody hell. You have a boyfriend?" Killian asks awkwardly, scratching behind his ear.

"Hum, yeah, but… I'm going to break up with him." Emma notices a hopeful look on Killian's face at that. "I didn't want to see it, but… our relationship is over. It's been over for a while."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he tells her sincerely.

She gives him a small smile in thanks. "What about you, Killian? Do you have a girlfriend?"

His face slightly darkens at her question, but it's gone as quickly as it came. She wonders what that was about.

He shakes his head no. "I don't really have time for a girlfriend. I work long hours, 6 days out of 7." Emma nods. "What do you do for a living, lass?"

"I work for the Boston Police Department." She laughs when his eyes expand in surprise.

"Wow," he finally says after a moment. "Detective?"

Emma shakes her head no with a smile. "Officer. But I'd like to be detective in the future."

"I'm sure you can do it, love," he says with a soft smile.

They are silent for a moment, contemplating each other. Emma feels nothing but warmth and curiosity coming from Killian, so it makes her relax even more.

"So Killian, tell me, what brought you down here to Mexico?" His eyes become a stormy blue, she notices, before he looks down. He is silent for a moment. Sensing this is a touchy subject, she is about to tell him he doesn't have to answer, when he looks back up at her.

"Heartbreak," is all he says.

She doesn't insist. He'll tell her in his own time, if he ever wants to share, that is.

"Are you familiar with the fine art of archery, love?" he asks after a moment of silence.

"A little, why?"

"I'm in the mood to throw some arrows. Care to join me?"

"Sure, it sounds fun."

"Brilliant. I'll go and get our gear, I'll be right back. Get ready."

He quickly walks away. Emma quickly puts her stuff back into her beach bag, then puts her tank top and shorts back on. She is tying on her shoes when Killian returns, bow and arrows in hand.

"Ready?" he asks as she stands up.

"Yep."

He gestures for her to go before him.

"Such a gentleman," she comments teasingly.

"I'm always a gentleman, love," he responds semi-seriously. "That looks painful; are you sure you're alright to walk?" he asks suddenly. He must have noticed her slight limp.

"I'm fine," Emma responds. But her limp worsens with each step.

"Stubborn lass," he grumbles softly from beside her. "Do you think you can make it to the lobby? We'll catch the shuttle from there."

Emma nods; she's relieved she won't have to walk all the way to wherever they are headed.

He helps her up and down from the shuttle when they depart the lobby and get off at the Hacienda, his touch solid and comforting.

After getting off the shuttle, they cross the street to the tennis courts. Emma notices a bench and hay bales at the back of the courts, so she guesses that's where they are headed. Her assumptions are proven right when he leads her alongside one of the tennis courts to the area she had noticed.

Killian puts the bow and arrows down on the bench there, and Emma follows suit with her beach bag.

"Do you have any bug repellant, love? There are a lot of mosquitoes here. You should spray on some."

Emma nods before digging through her bag for her spray. She goes to spray it on herself, but Killian takes the bottle slowly from her hand, their fingers touching – his lingering – and he aims the spray at her. She lightly spreads her limbs to help him. He finishes with the back of her legs. She hears him put the cap back on the bottle, and then the bottle suddenly appears in front of her, along with his hand, his other at the small of her back, warmth irradiating from it. Turning her head to the side, she notices he is standing very close, she can feel his breath on her cheek.

"Thanks," she says softly, taking the bottle back from him before stepping away to put it back into her bag.

"At your service, milady," he responds just as softly as he gathers the bow and arrows in his hands and steps away.

She turns around to face him after closing her bag.

"Ready?" he asks. She nods. "Give me your arm."

"Why?"

He lifts a piece of plastic in front of her eyes, then grabs her arm and attaches it to her forearm. She feels sparkles of electricity every time his skin makes contact with hers. It's addictive.

"Want to go first?" he thankfully interrupts her line of thinking.

"Okay."

He smirks, as if knowing what she was previously thinking. "You know how to handle a bow and arrows?"

"Kinda. I tried archery once on a school outing… in elementary school."

He laughs a little at that.

"Alright then, lass. Let's see. 3 arrows per turn, for a total of 5 turns each. It will be USA against Ireland." He winks at her. "Do you know how this works?" She shakes her head no. "Okay then, come on." He signals for her to follow him as he steps closer to the target, which consists of faded red paint on hay bales. "The outer circle is worth 10 points, then 15, 25, 30 and the middle, 50. May the best win," he adds with another wink.

She gives him a shy smile then limps back to take her first turn.

She ends up winning their little duel by over 100 points. After picking up everything, Killian takes her to the tables lined up by the bar. He goes to grab a glass of water and joins her.

They talk, getting to know each other some more. She learns that he has a degree in naval architecture, but he hasn't really had the occasion to put it to use since he graduated 3 years ago. She also learns of his love for the sea, which he shared with his brother. She notices a longing when he talks, and the way he talks about his brother in past tense.

She also notices the lack of mention of any parents. Is he an orphan, like her?

Emma is starting to get attached to Killian, and it scares her. Technically, she is still with Neal. But the more she thinks about it, the more she thinks that breaking things off with him is the right decision. The last time he visited, he was distant. When they would talk over the phone or through Skype, he would sometimes make a comment like how she's changed, how she's not the girl he'd met anymore. She doesn't feel like he loves her for who she is now. What he doesn't seem to understand though, is that he's changed too. Everyone changes.

Yes, breaking up with Neal is the best thing to do.

But it still doesn't mean that this thing with Killian will lead to anything. She's only there for a few more days, and he works there, in Mexico. She's had enough of long distance relationships - not that she was hoping for something more with Killian - she deserves to have someone close, that she can see whenever she wants, plan dates, everything.

So she's going to enjoy this time with Killian and move on...

"Would you see any inconvenience in us staying in touch after you leave?" Killian asks quietly after a moment of silence between them.

...or not.

"Of course we can," Emma replies happily. "How do you want to do this? Do you have a Facebook account?"

"Aye. But I don't use it very much. I prefer WhatsApp."

"I… I don't have WhatsApp," she says hesitantly.

"Oh…" She can see the disappointment on his face and feels a pang of guilt in her chest.

"Hey, you know what? Let's start with Facebook, and I'll get WhatsApp later, alright?"

"Aye, okay, sounds good." He gives her a small but happy smile.

She pulls out her phone and logs into her Facebook account. She then brings up the search toolbar and gives her phone to Killian so that he can look himself up. When he gives her back her phone, she notices that his online name is Captain Hook. She can't help but laugh.

"Captain Hook?"

He smiles and scratches behind his ear.

"Aye. About 2 years ago, my brother took control of my page while I wasn't looking and changed my name to this. He died not long after. I haven't had the heart to change it back."

Well, that explains the past tense from earlier.

"Killian, I'm so sorry," Emma says sympathetically, putting her hand on his. She pulls it away just as quickly, not wanting to give him the wrong impression. She does like him somehow, but she doesn't know him, she doesn't know enough about him to trust him completely.

He nods at her sentiment.

After a pause, she picks up her phone again, taps at it a few times and puts it back down. "Friend request sent."

Killian nods, looking away from her.

"Come with me, to Playa Del Carmen. Tonight." Killian quietly requests. Emma gasps lightly. She expected anything but that, and she doesn't know how to handle this. Before she can say anything, Killian keeps going. "I have a room there. We'll be alone."

"You have a room there?" She asks slightly incredulously. How can he possibly afford it?

"Aye." He pauses. "I like you, Emma. I want to spend time with you. Alone."

Emma bites on her lower lip. "I- I like you too, Killian. And I want to spend time with you too." She can see hope in his eyes and it kills her to do this. "But I can't go with you." His face falls.

"But… why?"

"I just can't. I barely know you." He makes an indignant face at that. "It's true, Killian, we've only just met. Please, Killian. I do want to spend time with you, I truly do. But it has to be here."

"I can't stay on the resort after my shifts, apart from the Corona bar."

"Then let's meet there after your shift."

"I don't like that place. Please, come with me to Playa Del Carmen."

"I'm sorry, Killian. It's not that I don't want to, but I can't." She knows he is disappointed, but she needs to listen to her brain on this.

If she goes with him, nobody knows what could happen. Her gut is telling her that she can trust him, that he would keep her safe, but she still has a lingering doubt. So she has to be careful - this is not the time to be reckless - she only hopes Killian understands her point of view.

She knows she shouldn't be getting attached to him, but she can't help it. He makes her feel things she's never felt before, not even with Neal. He makes her feel special. She truly feels like he likes her for who she is, like he doesn't expect her to be anything else but herself. That's the moment she realizes that there are other men out there that could like her.

She decides, right at this moment, that upon her return to Boston, she will break up with Neal. Not because she wants to be with Killian specifically, because, let's be real, she refuses to be in a relationship with someone so far away. She's had enough of Neal being away 99% of the time; she won't do any more long distance relationships. She deserves to have someone close, whom she can see whenever and wherever she wants. She deserves to go on dates, or enjoy a lazy day at home with her man.

This is another reason why she can't go to Playa Del Carmen with Killian. Getting too invested now would only break both of their hearts. She already likes him a lot - and apparently so does he - and she could very well see herself fall in love with him. Were he living in Boston and approached her, asked her on a date, there is no doubt in her mind that she would accept. She knows she'd like to see where this thing between them could go.

So she has to stop this before it goes too far. For both of their sakes.

When Killian remains silent, she feels she needs to insist. "Killian, I truly do like you. But like I explained, it's not that I don't want to go with you. It's that I can't. And it's not just because of my friends." She wants to touch his hand, but refrains from it in case his boss is around.

"Okay, Emma. I understand," he says quietly after being silent for another moment. She refrains from sighing in relief.

"Thank you, Killian."

He gives her a small, sincere smile. "You're welcome, lass."

She gives him a smile back. He takes a look at the time on his phone. "I have to get back to the pool."

She nods in understanding. "Okay, let's head back, then."

"Will you be okay to walk back?" He asks while standing up.

She tests out her ankle and foot for pain: she doesn't feel any. "Yes, I think I'll be fine. Just don't walk too fast."

Killian nods before standing up. Emma follows suit, and then they start to walk back to the Tulum's entertainment pool. They make small talk one the way, but Emma doesn't feel it's awkward. It's quite the opposite, in fact. She is surprised at how well they get along.

When they reach the poolside, Emma sits back on the same chair she had vacated earlier. Killian assures her he will come and check on her again later despite her protests.

Emma dresses down to her bikini again before pulling her book back out from her beach bag and settling to read. However, she can't help but reflect back on her day. Her remaining back at the resort while the others went out was probably the best thing to happen when she thinks back to all the time she was able to spend with Killian. She is happy that she got to know Killian a little bit better. However, it's a double edged sword, as the more she gets to know him, the more she gets attached to him, and the harder it will be to leave. Of course, they will keep in touch, but it's not like being face to face. Emma feels comfortable with Killian, something she hasn't felt with Neal in a while.

When the entertainment team wraps up their day at the pool, Killian stops by for a few minutes, to ask how she's doing. He's in a bit of a hurry, so they don't get to talk as much as they would like, but Killian assures her he'd see her later at the lobby bar. He squeezes her shoulder quickly as he departs, but she doesn't have time to bring her hand up to his to respond.

The chairs around her are quickly emptied, so she decides to head back to her room and wait for her friends there. She's hungry, but she decides to wait for her friends to eat.

Once she has taken a shower to wash away the sweat of the day, she dresses in jean shorts and a light t-shirt before lying down on her bed to watch TV. The only thing remotely interesting is Shrek, so she watches that as she waits. The next thing she knows, she is waking up, the movie's credits rolling, so she flips through the channels to try to find something else to watch, but she comes up with nothing, so she flips back to a replay of Shrek. She's about halfway through this second watch when Mary Margaret finally steps through the door. Looking at the time, Emma notices it's 9:07 PM.

"Hi Emma," Mary Margaret greets her as she sits on her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Hey. I'm good, thanks. My foot's not perfect, but it does feel better tonight."

"That's great. Have you eaten?" Emma shakes her head no. "Will, August and I were headed to the buffet at the Coba; do you want to come with us?"

"Sure, I'm starving."

"Great. Give me a minute to change, and then we'll leave."

"Sure."

A few minutes later, Mary Margaret has freshened up, so they leave the room. Emma's friend goes up to the second floor to get the guys, and then they make their way to the lobby to catch the shuttle. It isn't very long before they are seated at their usual table with food.

Emma asks about their day, and they tell her about moped races and how Belle was scared to drive one, so she was not so subtly invited to climb on the back of Will's. They also tell her how David's moped had a speed problem, that it couldn't go over 10 miles per hour, so when they were too far ahead, the entire group would slow down to give him a chance to catch up with them. Emma laughs at that: David seems to have a weird karma with mopeds.

When they are done with dinner, they head to the Hacienda. As they are riding the shuttle, Emma asks where the others are. Mary Margaret informs her that they had gone to the shops to buy some more souvenirs, and they would meet up with them in the bar area.

As the live band enters the last leg of that night's set, Ruby and Belle find Emma and Mary Margaret among the tables and sit down. They get to talking and the subject of August somehow comes up.

"Emma, you know he was interested in you, right?" Ruby mentions at some point during their conversation.

"What?" Emma asks, surprised.

"Yes, Emma, you didn't notice?" Belle asks.

Emma shakes her head no.

"He took interest in you when we had dinner at Mary Margaret's place," Ruby says.

"And again when we got here," Mary Margaret adds. "Our second night here, he was really disappointed when you left with Ruby towards the Corona bar."

"Wow," Emma says after a moment of silence. "He's nice and all, but I'm not interested," she adds.

"He's probably gotten the message by now," Ruby says with a slight smirk, "what with how you've been trying to avoid him."

"I haven't… been trying… to avoid him," Emma tries to explain.

"Relax, Emma," Ruby tries to soothe her. "We know you're not interested. With the way you were feeling after you talked to him about your relationship with Neal, we gathered that things hadn't gone so well."

Emma shakes her head. "He was kind of pushing me to talk, and I felt he was judging me. It was nice to talk, but I don't want a repeat performance with him."

"Totally understandable," Mary Margaret says with a pat to her hand.

Emma gives her a soft smile.

Soon after that, the band wraps up. Mary Margaret and Belle decide to head to bed immediately, the day catching up with them, so Emma walks to the Corona bar with Ruby. Killian is already there, waiting for her with Victor, Graham and Ricardo.

Killian greets her with a kiss to her knuckles. She blushes lightly at the gesture, but she gives him a bright smile. They sit there silently for a while, following the others' conversation.

Emma can't quite identify why she feels awkward with him suddenly. They had spent a part of the day together; he had immediately made her feel comfortable. They were alone. Maybe that's the problem, Emma thinks. They don't quite know how to act around other people. Emma chuckles lightly at that. Killian must hear her, as he turns to her with amusement clear on his face. She shakes her head at him, in a "it's not important" way, but he doesn't give up. When an understanding look takes over his features, he offers her his hand and stands up. She takes it and follows him to another – empty – seating area on the side of the building.

"What's so amusing?" Killian asks once they are sitting down again.

"It's not important," Emma tries to insist.

"Come on, love, if it's not important, why are you avoiding the question?" he asks, putting a hand on her knee. Electricity sparks under her skin at his touch. When he starts caressing her skin with his thumb, it sends shivers up and down her spine. She bites down on her lip, and then mentally shakes her head to stay focused on their conversation. His gentle, patient gaze melts the little resistance she has.

"It's just… when we were alone together, earlier today, it was… easy, comfortable. And then when we were with your friends just there, it was kind of… awkward? I don't know, I just…" she finishes lamely.

An amused smirk graces his features. "Love, if you wanted to be alone with me, all you had to do was ask," he says with a saucy wink.

She bites down on her lip again and looks away, suddenly shy. His free hand grabs her chin softly and he pulls so that she is facing him again. His thumb pulls at her lower lip to free it from her teeth. Looking up into his eyes, she notices that his irises are blown wide with desire, the blue almost gone. He leans in slightly, waiting for her reaction.

She hesitates for a moment, though she's not exactly sure why. She wants this: his kisses, his touch. But there is still a lingering guilt about Neal, how she's doing this behind his back. Even though she'll break up with him, it doesn't quite sit well with her.

"Emma," Killian interrupts her line of thinking, his voice heavy with desire. "I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do."

"I know, and thanks for that," she whispers. "Believe me; it's not that I don't want to."

He leans closer; she can feel his breath on her lips, minty with a touch of spice. She is under his spell and she doesn't want to be pulled away. All she wants to do is embrace it, give into this pull they have for each other.

"Tell me you don't feel it, Emma," Killian utters desperately. "Tell me you don't feel it and I'll pull away."

She remains silent, unable to lie. Their noses bump, and Emma's resolve starts to crumble.

"I promise that this will remain between you and me. You have my word," he promises breathlessly.

Something in the way he says these last words gets to her, and she decides to throw caution to the wind. She fuses their mouths together in a passionate, earth-shattering kiss that has both of them whimpering at the intensity. His lips are as soft and full as she remembers; she can't get enough of them. Her hands go to his head, her fingers entwining in his hair, also as soft as she remembers.

Their kisses at the Coco Bongo had been intense, but it was nothing compared to this. She kisses him like there is no tomorrow – which is technically true – their lips pulling at each other's roughly, their tongues battling for dominance.

Killian tries to pull himself closer, but she senses he gets frustrated when he keeps bumping his knee against her seat. He stands up and she follows, not letting their lips break away. He immediately pulls her flush against his hard body. The hand that had been on her knee goes to the small of her back. It fiddles with the edge of her t-shirt before he snakes it under so that their skins make contact. Their lips disconnect for a moment, for they are breathless, and the contact of Killian's hand with Emma's back is so warm and intense, it raises goosebumps on Emma's skin.

The feel of another man's skin on hers has never felt like this before. Not with Neal, and certainly not with Walsh.

Killian suddenly walks her backwards until her back hits a solid surface, and his hand begins to wander as they resume kissing. First up and down her back, then he brings it slowly to her stomach. He tentatively moves it higher and when he meets no resistance, he gets bolder, cupping her breast in his hand. Emma moans softly at the contact, her back arcing into him, chasing after his touch, craving it.

Emma's own hands start to wander. She needs to feel more of him, to touch him to ensure that this is all real. While keeping a hand in his hair, her other hand slowly slides down his neck, to finally land on his chest. She can feel the taught muscles ripple under her fingers, and she becomes curious as to what exactly is hiding beneath that shirt. Her hand continues its path down, until it reaches the hem of the shirt. He's not protesting, so she slides her hand underneath, her hand flat on his stomach. All she finds is soft, warm skin and a spattering of coarse hair that makes her want to run her fingers through it for hours. He growls against her mouth at the contact, before he leaves her lips and starts kissing and nipping down her jaw and neck.

"What are you guys doing over there?" Victor's voice suddenly rings out.

Emma freezes at the same time as Killian. He buries his face in her neck while she buries hers against his chest. Then she starts laughing. She hears Killian chuckle against her ear before he pulls his head up.

"Mind your own business, mate!" he calls out.

Emma giggles. Killian looks down at her, amused.

"I guess this is our cue," she says softly. "It's getting late anyway."

He pouts, and she giggles again before she pushes against his chest slightly to give herself some space. He grabs one of her hands while she steps up to the table to grab her clutch. He pulls on her arm to spin her into his chest and kisses her again, but she doesn't let him take control.

"Killian, it's really getting late. We should go to bed. You especially, you have work in the morning," she says against his lips. She hates to be the voice of reason.

"Alright, love," he says in a slightly defeated voice.

They walk together to the front of the bar, and find that everyone is gone except the bar staff. Killian goes inside to pay for his drink before he pulls her to a short alleyway, right beside the live band's stage. When they get to the other side, Killian lets go of her hand.

"Okay love, I have to let you go here, I'm under strict surveillance. I'll see you tomorrow?"

Emma nods. "Yeah, we'll stay on the resort all day, so I'll see you at some point."

"Brilliant. Good night," he adds with a wink.

"Good night," she responds with a bright smile before slowly making her way back to her room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review? :o)
> 
> I feel the need to specify that I do not condone cheating, far from it. But it was kind of necessary in the plot of this story. I hope you all understand. I'll be back next week with the next chapter!


	10. Nueve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I'm a few days late... but here we are. This chapter is the main reason why this story is rated M. I hope you'll like it.
> 
> Disclaimer: OUAT and its characters are the property of Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, and everything... all in all, I only own the plot.

Chapter 9 – Day 8

It's the group's last day in Mexico, so they decide to remain on the resort's grounds and enjoy the beach one last time before they leave.

As she lounges on one of the chairs, Emma's thoughts won't stop going back to the previous night. She is unable to regret anything she did with Killian. He makes her feel special, cherished, like she's the only one he sees. It's elating. She hopes to see him again that night. She would be greatly disappointed if she couldn't spend more time with him before she leaves.

As she's lathering on some more sunscreen, Emma notices Mary Margaret coming back from… wherever she was.

"Hey, I thought I'd try the jet-ski," Mary Margaret says to no one in particular. "I'm heading over there now if anyone's looking for me."

"Can I come? I think I'd like to try too," Emma replies.

"Sure!"

With that, they slowly make their way to the rental booth.

"You know," Emma says tentatively, "I noticed that things between you and David were tensed. Is everything alright?"

Mary Margaret is silent for a moment. "They're better, I guess I could say. We talked a little, and he said that he wished we could have spent more time alone together. He was frustrated with himself for getting sick, and took it out on me." She laughs bitterly. "And the fact that I'm having my period certainly didn't help."

Emma can't help but let a giggle escape at that. Mary Margaret gives her a half-hearted glare. They are silent again, but Emma senses that Mary Margaret wants to ask her something. However, she lets her find the words, as she's not sure what she wants to talk about.

"Emma," Mary Margaret hesitates. "Do you… do you know why Ruby and Belle have been distant? Did I do something?"

Emma was expecting anything but that.

"Well…" Emma starts. "I'm not sure it's really my place, you know. You should talk this out with them."

Mary Margaret contemplates that for a moment.

"You're right," she concedes. "I'll talk to them later."

"Good," Emma says, satisfied, and Mary Margaret responds with a smile.

A few minutes later, they reach the rental booth. Once they have completed the payment, they put on the proffered lifejackets and make their way down to the water with the instructor. They each get on a jet-ski and he shows them the ropes. That done, he mounts his own jet-ski and guides them out to the open sea.

When Emma gets the hang of it, she goes full throttle, letting the wind and water wash away her worries, if only for a moment. She feels free on the water, like she is flying. It makes her wish for a boat of her own.

She is slightly disappointed when she hears the instructor's whistle, their signal for them to come back. As she makes to turn around, Mary Margaret zooms past her with a frantic wave. Emma laughs and follows her.

They quickly give back the jet-skis and lifejackets, and then slowly walk back to their beach chairs. Emma feels a pleasant ache in her legs, having not exercised since her arrival in Mexico. She misses her morning run, the rush of endorphins it gives her. It helps lessen the stress of work. But that's only slightly. The feeling she had while being on the water was far greater.

As she sits on her chair, Emma's thoughts go back to Killian. She remembers reading somewhere that the Irish are very close to the water, so she wonders if it's the same for him. She can easily imagine him on this yacht, with huge, white sails, windswept hair, his feet bare, and just… going with the wind.

Before getting anymore lost in her fantasy, Emma shakes her head at herself and opens her book again. It's not going to do her any good to think so much of him when she doesn't even know if she will see him again after this.

The remainder of the afternoon is pretty uneventful. The group ends their afternoon at the entertainment pool with some drinks before heading back to their rooms to get ready for dinner.

That night, they have a reservation at the French restaurant of the resort, the Don Pablo. Emma is pretty sure the name is not French, but she's no expert…

Emma has saved her favourite outfit for that evening: a simple, red bodycon dress, the neckline low enough to show just enough cleavage. It's not a dress for which she paid a fortune; it's only made of cotton, there are no frills. But she knows she looks great in it. And the restaurant calls for formal wear, so it's perfect.

And she dares hope Killian will like it.

She dries her hair to give them a slight curl and leaves them down.

"I'll be with Belle and Ruby," Mary Margaret calls as Emma is applying the final touch to her light make-up.

"I'll be right there," Emma responds.

Mary Margaret leaves the room just as Emma is putting the cap back on her mascara. She gives herself one last once over before putting her make-up bag into her suitcase. She then steps into a pair of black ballet flats, grabs her clutch and makes her way out the door after making sure she has her key card.

When Ruby and Belle's room door opens, she gets a catcall from Ruby. Emma blushes, but laughs.

"Killian won't know what hit him," Ruby comments with a salacious wink.

"Ruby!" Mary Margaret admonishes.

"Oh, shut up, Mary Margaret, let the girl have fun," Ruby gripes. "Killian's good for her, and she's going to break up with Neal. Right, Emma?"

Emma nods, although a bit reluctantly. She doesn't need to be reminded that she's, well… cheating on Neal.

"Neal will never know anyway," Ruby continues. "He doesn't even know she's here, that's how interested he is."

Emma is becoming more and more uncomfortable at the turn of the conversation. She's afraid to add in her two cents, as she feels she'll only dig herself a deeper hole.

"But this is wrong!" Mary Margaret insists.

"Do you think I don't know that it's wrong?" Emma suddenly snaps. So much for being afraid to talk. "Do you think I planned this?"

Mary Margaret's features soften. "Of course not, but…"

"No," Emma interrupts her, "let me finish. Do you honestly believe that I came here with the purpose to cheat on Neal? Because I didn't, Mary Margaret. I came here to think, to get away from everything, because I couldn't think straight anymore. If anything, Killian helped me. He helped me realize that there are other men out there that could like me. And it could have been any other man that I met here, too. And for all I know, I could still be undecided. So judge me all you want, but I don't regret anything."

Emma is out of breath when she finishes her rant, raking a hand through her hair to help gain back some composure. She can't believe she just snapped at Mary Margaret, her best friend, but she's had enough.

"I'm sorry, Emma," Mary Margaret says weakly.

Emma only nods. Feeling like she is suffocating, she steps outside without a word. She paces for a moment to try to evacuate the tension. When she starts to feel she is relaxing, she takes a deep breath and sits on the bench close by.

And then she feels them. All over her legs. She swipes at her legs angrily before stomping back to her room. Emma has always been mosquitoes' favorite prey, and apparently, they are all out to get her tonight, on her last night on the resort no less. Just great.

Inside the room, she generously sprays on some bug repellant, before deciding to just carry it along in case she needs more later. Mary Margaret, Ruby and Belle step out of the other room as she is coming back.

"Everything okay?" Mary Margaret asks worriedly.

"Yeah," Emma responds. "But apparently all of the Mexico mosquitoes decided to come out tonight for the Emma-buffet."

Her friends laugh at that as they start to walk in the direction of the lobby bar for pre-dinner drinks.

Once their drinks are ordered, Emma pulls out her phone to install WhatsApp, thinking that she won't have time to do it later.

"Hola senoritas," she suddenly hears from above her head. Looking up, she sees Ricardo.

"Hola Ricardo," the girls reply in unison.

She loses track of the conversation when she spots Killian on the dancefloor, helping a middle-aged woman through the basic cha-cha steps. She vaguely hears Ricardo ask for bug repellant, so she hands him her bottle distractedly, her eyes still focused on Killian. He is so patient, that must be why he is so good at his job. She smiles and waves in his direction when his gaze falls on her, butterflies bursting in her stomach in anticipation.

Soon enough, he guides the lady back to her seat before he approaches her, grabbing a nearby empty chair and sitting down next to her.

"Hello love," he greets her warmly. Then his eyes trail appreciatively up and down her form.

"Hi," she beams at him.

"You look stunning, Emma," he compliments her softly.

She lightly bites on her lower lip. "Thank you," she replies just as softly. "We kept our best outfits for the last night."

Killian's eyes widen in surprise. "This is your last night?" he asks, slightly panicked.

Emma nods sadly.

"Bloody hell," he curses. "I thought you were leaving on Monday."

Emma shakes her head no. "No, we're leaving tomorrow," she needlessly confirms.

He rubs a hand down his face, clearly disturbed by the news. She can't blame him. He suddenly pulls out his phone.

"What are you doing?" she asks him, slightly confused.

"Texting Victor, see if he can bring me a clean shirt later," he replies distractedly, before suddenly looking back up at her. "You'll meet me later, aye?"

Emma smiles softly. "Of course I will."

He visibly relaxes at her answer, squeezing her hand lightly before concentrating back on his phone. She pulls hers back out.

"Hey, I installed WhatsApp on my phone," she tells him, opening up the app.

"Brilliant," he says, taking her offered phone and keying in his number.

When he hands it back to her, she sends him a message so that he can have her number as well. He saves it then puts his phone back in his pocket.

Just as he opens his mouth to speak again, David, Will and August make their appearance, like a wolf pack staking its claim. What the hell, Emma thinks, viewing their move as if they want to intimidate Ricardo, Killian and Graham who, Emma notices, also joined the group. Ricardo and Graham quickly scamper away, claiming they need to get back to work. It's probably true, but the guys' tactic probably didn't help either. Killian remains unfazed, though.

"Emma, what time is it?" Mary Margaret suddenly asks.

Emma turns on her phone screen. "9:17," she responds.

"Time to go," Mary Margaret says, standing up. "You'll meet us there?" she turns to Emma.

Emma nods and watches them embrace the guys quickly and leave the room. Emma is grateful for the moment alone they give her with Killian.

"Where are you going?" Killian asks her curiously.

"Reservation at the Don Pablo for dinner," she replies with a smile.

"Ah, I hear it's very good," he nods.

"So do I, I'm looking forward to it," she comments. "So you'll be done at 11?"

He opens his mouth to answer when Ruby reappears.

"Emma! You need to come now, or we'll lose our reservation. We're late!" she says frantically.

Emma scrambles up. "I'll see you later?" she asks Killian, taking a few steps towards her friend. She gives him a smile when he nods, then follows Ruby to the restaurant.

The staff is very warm and welcoming despite their tardiness. Emma feels slightly awkward at first, not used to such an upscale environment, but when the girls start talking about what to order, she starts to relax.

They talk about their different culinary experiences while eating their soup and entrees, but things get slightly heated when the main course arrives, as if the flow of the conversation is following the flow of the meal.

"Mary Margaret," Belle says seriously before taking a bite of her salmon. "Is there any particular reason you were upset with us the other day?"

Mary Margaret has the decency to look guilty at the question. "Well, you know, I thought we would all be together all the time. It was unsettling to not know where you were."

"We're all adults here," Ruby comments. "We don't have to report to everyone where we are every moment of every day. We're not in kindergarten, and you're not our teacher."

Emma thinks that Ruby is a bit harsh, but it seems to drive the point across, as Mary Margaret is silent for a moment, thinking.

"I'm sorry," she finally says. "The situation with David got to me, and I tried to baby everyone. I'm really, really sorry."

"What happened with David anyway?" Ruby asks.

And just like that, everything is forgiven, and they enjoy the rest of their meal together. Emma is happy that things are back to normal among the group, as it was unnerving to deal with all of the tension.

Even things between Will and Belle seem to be on the mend, as Ruby found them sitting on Belle's bed when she got back to their room the previous night. Belle was half asleep on Will's shoulder, while Will was talking about something or other. Ruby told Emma that she had invited him to stay if he wanted, but next thing she knew, Belle was fast asleep in her bed, alone, when she came out of the bathroom.

"I'm not sure about Will," Belle confesses when Ruby is done retelling the events.

"Why?" Ruby asks, slightly frowning.

"Well, I think he lacks maturity, you know, and he seems to have a bit of a drinking problem," Belle replies. "And I don't really feel a spark."

"If there's no spark," Mary Margaret says, "then it's not meant to be."

Emma tries not to let that comment grow in her mind, as there is definitely more than a spark between her and Killian. Fortunately for her, Mary Margaret changes the subject, so she lets herself get distracted.

Dessert is as delicious as the rest of the meal, so they leave a generous tip upon their departure.

"God," Ruby complains, rubbing at her stomach, "I ate too much."

"Ugh, me too," Emma mumbles. "But that's what happens when the food is so good."

"Indeed," Mary Margaret agrees.

"I suggest we walk to the Hacienda," Belle speaks up.

Emma, Ruby and Mary Margaret agree, so they make their way out of the lobby and slowly walk up the sidewalk leading to the Hacienda. When they get there, they find the guys watching the band, which is about to wrap up for the night.

As the others decide what to do for the rest of the night, Emma sees Victor walking to the Corona bar and handing a shirt to Killian, who was apparently already there. She becomes suddenly impatient at the idea of spending more time with him. She and Ruby exchange a look before simultaneously standing up.

"Good night everyone," Emma says with a wave, stepping away from the table.

"Good night," the others reply in unison.

"Someone's impatient," Ruby teases as they walk.

"Shut up," Emma replies, smiling.

Just as they are about to sit down, Victor and Killian come out of the bar's building, carrying a beer each. Emma meets Killian at the top of the stairs.

"Hey," she greets him, beaming.

"Hello love," he responds with a soft smile. He grabs a hold of her hand and pulls her to the same table they were sitting at the previous night. "How was dinner?"

"Delicious," she replies simply.

He puts his free hand on Emma's knee. She feels warmth spreading under her skin at the contact. She puts her hand on top of his, lightly caressing it with the tip of her fingers.

"What did you eat?" he asks, watching as Victor and Ruby sit on the opposite side of their table.

"Ruby and I had the filet mignon and, of course, crème brulée for dessert," Emma replies, watching as their fingers link together.

When she looks up, Killian is looking at her intently. She blushes lightly under his stare, biting down on her lip. His irises spread wider with desire at that. Her blush deepens, and she looks away. She can feel her own desire for him spread in her belly, so looking away seems like the best option to try and control it.

The four of them talk quietly together for a while after the girls get themselves something to drink.

"What did you do today, love?" Killian asks Emma later, when silence has fallen over the group.

"We spent the day at the beach," she replies in a soft voice. "I mostly sunbathed, but I also went jet-skiing with Mary Margaret."

"Oh," he says with pleasant surprise. "How did you like it?"

"I really liked it," she says with a smile. "It felt like I was flying over the water, I felt free. The ocean has always had a calming effect on me. I sometimes wish I had a boat of my own."

"Well lass, we have something in common," Killian says softly, looking down at their joined hands. "I love to be on the water, it's my second home. It's one of the reasons I had joined the Navy back in Ireland."

"Had joined? You quit?"

He gives her a sad smile. "I was kind of forced to. I was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis, and it was so severe that I couldn't serve on ships anymore. They wanted to relegate me to administrative work, so I retired."

"Is it painful?" Emma asks.

She knows that showing pity for his condition wouldn't help him. It doesn't change anything in the way she feels for him anyway, it doesn't define him. And he seems to appreciate her compassion.

"Today isn't so bad," he says, lightly flexing the hand linked with hers. "But yesterday was… hard. I woke up in the morning with searing pain; I couldn't use my hand, so I took the day off."

"Oh," Emma exclaims, "well that explains why you weren't there yesterday."

He smirks lightly. "Did you miss me, love?"

She doesn't answer, but her blush and tight lips seem to give her away, as his smirk widens. He leans in and quickly pecks her lips, then winks at her when he pulls back. She blushes lightly.

"You know how I told you I studied naval architecture?" he asks.

She is grateful for the change of subject, so she nods.

"A few years ago, I started drawing a ship of my own liking. I'd like to see it become real someday."

Emma smiles. "I have a confession to make," she says.

Killian gives her an amused smile. "Really? Do tell, love."

She giggles lightly. "I may have thought today of a boat that would fit you."

"And what kind of ship would that be, love?" he asks, putting emphasis on the word ship to correct her.

"I thought of a long yacht with big, white sails. I was thinking of a double-decker, the wheel on the top deck, some lounging chairs, and the lower deck would be the living areas. Everything in white."

He looks flabbergasted for a moment. "Can you read minds?" he asks.

"Wait, what?" Emma retorts, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Emma, that's exactly what I started drawing. How did you know?"

"I… I don't know. I just thought it'd fit you."

Emma is mystified. She doesn't know him all that well, after all, so how was she able to pinpoint exactly the type of ship he'd want for himself? It's a little overwhelming.

"Where is that drawing now?" she asks him, trying to gather her bearings.

"In Ireland, somewhere in the house I used to share with my brother. I couldn't… I couldn't find the courage to go back after he died."

She squeezes his hand lightly. "How did he die?" she asks softly.

He is silent for a moment, his gaze on their hands. She can see the debate in his eyes, whether or not to tell her.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," she adds, again in a soft voice.

"Thank you, lass," he finally says. "But I think it's a good idea to tell you, after all."

She gives him a small, encouraging smile, squeezing his hand again. He brings their joined hands up to his lips and kisses her knuckles, making eye contact with her.

"I was in Canada at the time, with my then girlfriend," he starts, a slight frown marring his features.

She feels a pang of jealousy at the mention of another woman, but she berates herself immediately. She didn't know him then. She files this information for later, as she suspects this is the heartbreak he hinted at the day before.

"Liam didn't approve of her, so I suspect he was coming to talk some sense into me," he continues quietly. "He had a car accident on his way to the airport. He died instantly."

Emma can feel her eyes water. "Oh, Killian… that's horrible. I'm so sorry."

He shakes his head. "It's my entire fault."

"Killian, no," Emma denies immediately. "I don't know the entire story, but I'm sure it's not your fault."

"But he was on his way to the airport, Emma, to catch a flight to Canada."

"You haven't caused the accident, so it's not your fault. Accidents happen, anywhere and anytime. And even if you had invited him, you're not responsible."

He still doesn't look convinced, but he doesn't argue with her anymore. Instead, he pulls her sideways into his lap and wraps his arms around her, burying his nose in her neck. Emma circles her arms around his neck, one of her hands going to his hair, lightly massaging his scalp. She can feel the tension leave his body little by little. After a moment, she can feel him start to kiss her neck as his arms tighten around her. She closes her eyes and lets herself enjoy the feel of his lips on her skin, as it slowly reignites the fire within her. She pulls lightly at his hair when she feels him start to suckle at her pulse point.

"Don't leave a mark," she protests, although it's half-hearted.

"Apologies, lass," he says, his voice an octave deeper, heavy with desire, his breathing harsh.

"Are you alright?" she asks a moment later, once her own breathing is calming down.

"Aye," is all he says, but he does sound calmer.

"Tell me more about Liam?" she requests softly.

He contemplates her for a moment before nodding.

"Liam was 10 years older than me," Killian starts softly. "And he was all that I had. Our mother died shortly after giving birth to me, and our father disappeared when I was 5 years old. We had no known family. We were able to stay in our house and keep social services at bay for a few years, until Liam enrolled in the Navy."

He tells her how he'd had to stay in an orphanage for a while, how lonely it had felt, as Liam was unable to leave the base during his initial training. He tells her about the countless times he'd run away from the orphanage, only to always end up back in his parents' house, hoping to find Liam there.

The more Emma listens to him, the more she notices how much they have in common. They are two lost souls, only trying to find comfort and, dare she say it, love. A place to belong.

As he is telling her about a trip to Spain he and Liam went on a few years earlier, something about running with bulls, she kisses him. But it's not just a quick peck on the lips. No; it is rather a slow, soul searching kiss, soft, tender, but also firm, meant to convey a message, to share some of her secrets. He responds hungrily to her kiss, as if swallowing everything she is giving him. His good hand tangles in her hair. Her own hand goes up to his bicep to anchor herself to him, to keep him close; she doesn't want any of this to end.

They are both breathless when they pull away. Killian makes their foreheads connect.

"Emma, that was…" is all he says.

She blushes and giggles breathlessly. "I know."

He connects their lips again for a quick but searing kiss, before making their foreheads touch again.

"But seriously love, what was this for?" he asks curiously, grazing her nose with his, breathing her in.

She pulls away from him slightly to make eye contact. His eyes are a stormy blue, like the sky after a storm.

"It seems we have a lot in common," she says softly.

"Like what?" he prods when she fails to add anything else.

She lightly bites on her lip before looking down. He grabs her chin to make her look back up into his eyes and gives her a silent encouragement in the form of a small smile.

She gives him a small smile back. "I'm an orphan," she says softly. "I never knew my parents. All I know is that they abandoned me on the side of the road in Maine; I was only a few hours old. I grew up in the foster system. I went from family to family, never feeling like I was quite welcome, like I belonged. Then I ended up in group homes. I saw child after child getting adopted, but never me. When I was sixteen, I ran away from the group home I was just transferred into."

Recognition flickers in his eyes before he leans in for another kiss. A kiss she feels right down to the tip of her toes. She feels something has shifted between them after her confession; she feels closer to him somehow. His kisses are hungrier, his touch more daring. His free hand goes down to her thigh, caressing it softly, first on top of the material of her dress, but after a few times, he pushes his hand under it. It stills, as if waiting for her reaction. Her left hand goes to his hair and her right hand to his chest. He seems to get the message, as his hand slowly continues on its journey up her thigh. She moans and arcs into him when he gets to her ass cheek and squeezes lightly. She unbuttons his shirt and lets her hand wander on his skin, delighting in his warmth, in his strength.

He disconnects their lips and starts a trail down her jaw then up to her ear. She can feel his warm breath against her skin, hear him pant in her ear, and feel the evidence of his arousal against her thigh. He growls slightly when she bites at his earlobe.

"Bloody hell," he pants.

She lets out a breathless giggle before diving back for his lips, pushing her tongue against his lips to gain entrance. Both of his hands go to her hair and suddenly, he is pushing up to stand. She follows his movements and stands up as well, their lips never breaking contact. Once they are both upright, he pulls her flush against his body, one of his hands slowly sliding to her ass, then down her thigh. He grasps her knee and brings it up against his hip. She slides her arms around his neck to keep herself upright, one of her hands going back to his hair and scratching lightly at his scalp. His hand holding her knee starts again a slow journey up her thigh, under her dress.

Emma undulates her hips against his, searching for friction, his touch only making her want more of him. Her free hand goes back down to his chest and slowly trails down to his belt. When she starts pulling at it, he breaks their kiss.

"Emma," he trails off, nuzzling against her cheek.

She kisses his cheek. "I want you, Killian," she replies in a whisper, pulling back to make eye contact with him, so that he can see the truth in her words.

He contemplates her for a moment, as if trying to determine if she truly wants this. Her gaze doesn't waver; she knows she wants him, there is no hesitation. She wants him, right at this moment. She doesn't care about the rest. All that matters is the here and now, their mutual attraction. She wants to give into it, desperately.

Just as she sees resolve flood his eyes, she notices Ruby and Victor coming back from a dark area behind the bar. They don't say anything regarding their disheveled state, or Killian and Emma's position. Ruby sits down and winks at Emma before turning her attention back to Victor, paying them no mind.

Killian drops her leg and grabs her hand, pulling her in the direction Ruby and Victor just came from. It is some kind of fenced-in storage area. Emma notices some boxes and storage units scattered around the place when her eyes have adjusted to the dark.

When they are away from prying eyes, he pulls her into him again, chasing her lips, one of his hands tangling in her hair while the other goes to her lower back.

She loses herself in him, in his kisses, taking everything he is giving her. The desperation of the moment is not completely lost on her, though. She is well aware that this could be the first and last time they are together like this. She knows she shouldn't be getting this involved with him, that she shouldn't give him hope, but she can't help it. She has never felt attracted to someone like she is attracted to Killian. She doesn't understand it, and she's not sure she wants to.

He backs her up against a wall, his kisses becoming hungrier, even more than moments before. She moans, happy that she isn't the only one feeling this way. One of his hands slides up her back, and then slowly comes to her front, grazing her breast. She moans again at the contact. Encouraged, he lightly grabs her clothed breast, fondling lightly. She puts a hand on top of his and breaks their kiss.

"I'm not fragile, Killian," she pants.

He connects theirs lips again and squeezes her breast slightly roughly, making her moan again in pleasure. His ministrations on her breast send jolts of electricity all the way down to her core, making her rub her thighs lightly together to try to create some friction to alleviate some of the tension, but it's not quite enough. She raises her leg up to his hip to try to get closer to him. First thing she knows, he grabs under her thighs and makes her cross her ankles at the small of his back. With this new angle, she can feel the hard ridge of his erection against her centre and she moans again, lightly moving her hips against his to create some friction. He growls at the contact, his hands going to her ass to help her move, moving his at the same time. Their lips break contact, they pant in each other's mouths.

"Emma," he whispers, his hips going still. "Emma, I want you so bad, love."

She breathes in sharply. "Then take me, Killian," she whispers back. "Please."

He growls, one of his hands pulls at her neckline and bra cup to free one of her breasts. He thumbs slightly at her nipple before his lips latch onto it. The bolt of electricity this sends to her core makes her want to cry out in ecstasy, but she remains quiet, mindful of their surroundings. She definitely doesn't wish to call unwanted attention to them. The thrill certainly is exciting, though.

She breathes harshly, her hands in his hair to tell him she enjoys what he's doing. She swears she could come from this alone.

Wanting to feel him inside her when she comes, she pulls at his hair to get his attention. His lips leave her sensitive nipple and he looks up at her, his pupils completely dilated by his desire.

"Bloody hell, you're gorgeous," he says, his eyes slowly drinking her in, his hands softly caressing the underside of her thighs.

She pulls him in for a soft kiss.

"Do you have protection?" she asks when she pulls away, biting on her lower lip in light embarrassment.

"Aye," he smirks.

He helps her back on her feet before reaching into his back pocket. He pulls out his wallet, and a foil package out of it.

"Are you sure you want this, love?" he asks softly, eyes connecting with hers, as he puts his wallet back into his pocket.

She nods, words failing her, eyes not wavering from his. As wrong as this may be, she wants him. There is no turning back now.

"Alright then," he says before leaning in for another soft kiss.

When he pulls away, he takes a deep breath before reaching for his belt.

"Let me," Emma whispers, her hands on his to stop him.

"With pleasure," he responds with a salacious grin. He puts his hands on her waist and drops his forehead to her temple, his gaze on her hands as she slowly unbuckles his belt. He hisses slightly when she undoes the button and slides down the zipper. His breathing hitches in what she guesses is anticipation when she pulls on the waistband of his boxer briefs and slowly reaches inside for his member.

She gives him a few strokes, getting acquainted with this other part of him, for which she is getting desperate. It's strange how something so firm can be so soft, she muses. She licks her lips as Killian's breathing becomes shallow. He stops her movements with his hand as his hips start to move. When she looks up at him, she finds his eyes are slightly narrowed in amused reproach. She tries to hide her grin by biting on her lower lip, but she fails miserably. He brings her hand up to his lips and kisses her knuckles before he lets it go to rip the condom wrapper open and roll the latex down.

Once done, he looks back up at her and raises an eyebrow in question. She nods shyly, a corner of her lips lifting up in a half smile. Some of her reluctance to trust him fades away slightly, as he is clearly telling her that he'll back down if she wishes to stop then and there.

He reaches for the bottom of her dress and slowly lifts it the rest of the way up her thighs. When the material is just below her ass, he reaches under for her underwear. He groans when he touches the silky fabric. She whimpers and raises one of her legs to his hip when he squeezes one of her cheeks. He makes their foreheads touch one again, his eyes closing.

"Last chance to back down, love," he whispers, his voice strained.

"No," she whispers back, "I want this."

"Then these need to go," he growls, pulling at her panties.

She helps him pull them down then kicks them to the side before he grabs at the back of her thighs again to bring her legs around his waist. She anchors her arms around his neck and leans into his lips for a kiss, but gasps when she feels his fingers at her entrance.

"Hmm, so wet and ready for me, lass," he pants at her ear.

"Yes," is all she is able to muster.

And then she feels his tip at her center. She lets another gasp escape as he pushes in, the sensation slightly overwhelming. He pauses in his movement, no doubt as overwhelmed as she is.

"Okay?" he asks breathlessly, his voice strained with the level of control this is requiring.

"Yes," she replies just as breathlessly.

He takes a deep breath before he slowly completes his sweet invasion of her body. When he is buried to the hilt, he pauses again for a moment before tentatively pulling out and pushing back in again.

Emma has never felt so full, so… complete. The rush of emotions this new connection brings is so breathtaking; she doesn't quite know how to deal with it… so she decides to just live in the moment for now and deal with it all later.

Killian has paused again, and she is getting impatient for some friction. She tries to move her hips against his, but he stops her immediately, growling, his hands going to her ass to hold her still.

"Emma," he says in a rough voice, almost pleading.

"What's wrong?" she asks, slightly panicked, pulling her head back to look at him.

He smirks. "Can you please give me a moment? If you don't want me to finish before we've even started."

She gives him a shy smile. "Sorry," she responds, biting on her lower lip.

He leans in and chastely kisses her lips before touching his forehead with hers again, his eyes closing. A few moments later, she feels him pulling out and pushing in again, this time with more purpose. As he repeats it over and over, as wave after wave of pleasure overtake her, she whimpers, quickly losing herself to him, her hips moving in sync with his in this dance that is older than humanity. His pelvic bone hits her bundle of nerves so perfectly, as if he'd calculated it all. The coil in her belly is getting tighter with each hit, and she soon finds herself on the brink of completion.

"Killian," she breathlessly whispers at his ear, "I'm so close."

She bites at his earlobe, earning herself a deep growl and a faster pace.

"Come for me, love," he tells her, pumping into her harder.

He is hitting her at just the right angle, so that a few moments later, she sees stars. She buries her face in his shoulder to muffle her blissful cry, her orgasm hitting her hard, so much that she blacks out for a second. When she regains awareness of her surroundings, Killian is still pumping his hips into hers, chasing his own finish line. He finally does a few seconds later, burying his face in her neck in turn to muffle his own shout of ecstasy. He sags against her and she in turn goes limp in his arms, one of her hands going to his hair. After several moments, he seems to regain some strength, as he kisses up her neck towards her lips. They exchange a few soft kisses before he pulls back and looks down at her in apparent wonder.

"You okay?" he asks softly, tangling one of his hands in her hair. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

She gives him a soft smile. "No, you didn't hurt me. I'm perfectly fine."

He looks at her silently for a moment, before leaning in for another kiss. He touches his forehead to hers, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

"You're incredible," he whispers.

She isn't sure if he meant for her to hear or not, as it was said so quietly, but the sentiment goes straight to her heart before spreading around her entire body in a shiver.

"Killian?" she asks softly a while later.

"Hmm?"

"I can't feel my legs," she says with a light giggle.

"Oh, sorry love," he says sheepishly before slowly pulling out his softening member from of her core.

They both whimper at the loss of contact. He helps her on her feet and makes sure she can stand by herself before letting go to dispose of the used condom and rearranging himself. She does the same with her dress. Once he's done, he pulls her back into his arms. She brings her own arms up around his neck.

Emma has never really been one for cuddling after sex, but this time, she can't help herself. She needs more of his proximity, of his solid warmth, wanting to cherish these moments as she doesn't know when – if – she'll see him again.

She drops a soft, lingering kiss to his cheek before pulling away to look around for her discarded underwear. He finds it first, making it dangle from his finger. She grabs it with a smirk before bending to pull them up her legs. He extends one of his hands to offer some assistance, and she grabs it gratefully, still not quite steady on her legs. Once she's done, he pulls her hand up to his lips, kissing her knuckles, before pulling her back to their seats. They find Ruby and Victor talking quietly.

Emma blushes slightly at the raised eyebrow Ruby sends her way, but she can't find it in herself to be ashamed. She does feel slightly uncomfortable for it was quite obvious what they were doing, but she's not embarrassed.

As her and Killian engage in conversation with Ruby and Victor, she finds that Killian can't quite seem to keep his hands to himself. Not that she's complaining, but the more they touch, the more she becomes addicted to it, and the harder she thinks it will be to leave him behind the next day.

When the waitress comes out to collect the payment for their drinks, Emma realizes how late it is. And how the separation from Killian is fast approaching. Once she has paid, she excuses herself for a moment to use the bathroom. When she comes out, she finds Killian leaning against a pillar, his gaze upward, frowning. It should be illegal for him to look so handsome despite the frown. She carefully puts a hand on his chest before stepping into his personal space. He immediately looks down at her and puts his hands on her hips. Her other hand goes up to his face, in an attempt to erase the frown from his features.

"Everything alright?" she asks softly.

He takes a moment to reply. "Will I see you again?" he asks in turn, his voice wavering with uncertainty.

She gives him a sad smile. "I hope so," is all she says.

She doesn't want to make a promise she's not sure she can keep. He seems to understand her intent, as he nods at her words before pulling her close for a hug.

"It's getting late, Emma," she hears Ruby say.

She pulls away from Killian, grabbing his hands before turning to her friend.

"Yeah, it is," she agrees before turning back to Killian.

She doesn't need to say a word, as he pushes off the pillar and they start walking. He lets go of her hand when they leave the bar's premises. She immediately misses the contact, but she understands why he needs to do this. When they are at the Hacienda doors, she quickly reaches for his hand and gives it a quick squeeze before they part ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review? :o)


	11. Diez

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday everyone! Here is chapter 10, I hope you will like it. Thank you again to Dreamtalker1 for her input in this story, it wouldn't be the same without her. And please go read her story, A Sailor's Tale, it's absolutely fantastic!
> 
> Disclaimer : Like I said before, I only own the plot.

Despite the dread, Emma feels a sort of peace pushing through.

The night before with Killian had been almost magical. She doesn't regret what happened. She'll cherish that memory forever. She had never felt more beautiful and desired.

She finds herself wishing the circumstances had been different, that their love-making had occurred behind closed doors, where they could have taken their time to explore each other. Regret over not agreeing to go to Playa Del Carmen with Killian hits Emma, but she quickly pushes it away, as this is for the best.

She had hoped that giving into their desire would help get rid of their mutual attraction, but now, if anything, she is even more attracted to him than before. He had been a gentleman, always making sure she knew she had a choice, that she was thoroughly satisfied before taking care of his own need.

It was definitely more than just sex to scratch an itch. There was certainly something more; something about which Emma isn't quite ready to give much thought yet. If ever. She needs to deal with the Neal situation first and foremost.

Although she doesn't want to think about this yet, she knows she has to end things with him. And not because of Killian. She knew even before leaving for this vacation that she needed to do something; things couldn't keep going this way. Meeting Killian only helped cement her decision to put an end to their relationship. She now knows that there will be other men out there that will like her. Emma Swan deserves better.

Emma had never felt like she was deserving someone who liked her for her, with her past and baggage. But now that she has an inkling as to what it is to be truly desired, she longs for it. Neal had desired her at some point, she can't deny that. When they first met, there was definitely something, but the spark faded long ago. She just refused to see it.

She realizes that maybe she has held onto this relationship also in the hopes that the spark would be reignited at some point, when her and Neal would finally be in the same vicinity and would have had more time for each other, other than those stolen weekends.

Before falling into a dark mood, Emma shakes those thoughts away and sits up in her bed. She hears the shower running, meaning that Mary Margaret is using the bathroom. She slowly gets up and starts gathering her stuff to pack her suitcase. When Mary Margaret comes out of the bathroom, all that is left to pack is her bathroom stuff.

"Good morning," Mary Margaret greets her as she rummages through her bathing suits drawer.

"Morning," Emma greets back. "Are you done with the bathroom?"

"Yes, you can go ahead," her friend nods.

Emma grabs her favourite bikini – black and white stripes with golden ties – and makes her way to the bathroom. She takes a quick shower, knowing she won't have time to take one before they leave, then pulls on her bikini, brushes her teeth and exits the bathroom to pack the rest of her stuff.

"Do you want the tequila?" Mary Margaret asks suddenly.

Emma looks up, confused. Her friend is pointing at a small tequila bottle on the table.

"Oh, I hadn't even noticed," Emma responds with a chuckle. "Sure, why not!"

"Good," Mary Margaret responds, "I'm not overly fond of the stuff."

"Well, it seems I'm quite fond of it," Emma blushes lightly, remembering their first night on the resort.

Mary Margaret laughs.

Soon enough, they are done repacking their suitcases. As Mary Margaret makes a last round of the room to make sure that they haven't forgotten anything, Emma calls the front desk for a cart to bring their luggage to the lobby, then goes to Belle and Ruby's room.

"Hey Emma," Belle greets her when she opens the door.

"Morning, are you all packed?" Emma asks, stepping into the room.

"Yes," Belle replies. "Although, Ruby's suitcase is slightly overweight."

"Maybe I can take some stuff for you?" Emma offers, addressing Ruby. "My suitcase's pretty light.

"Oh, you're a life saver!" Ruby exclaims, immediately opening her suitcase and taking out a bag the size of a shoe box and handing it over to Emma.

Emma's eyes widen in surprise at the weight.

"What's in there?" she asks.

"That's my make-up bag."

Emma lifts an eyebrow in surprise, but doesn't comment.

"Alright," she then says. "There's a cart coming to bring our luggage to the lobby."

"Great," Belle says, "we'll be right out."

Emma nods and goes back to her room to put Ruby's make-up bag in her suitcase, and then she and Mary Margaret leave the room to go and wait for the cart. Ruby and Belle exit their room just as the cart arrives. The resort employee makes quick work of their luggage before driving them to the lobby.

Once check-out is completed, the girls head to the buffet for a quick breakfast before making their way to the entertainment pool. There, the girls drop their bags in their usual spot – strange how they now have a usual spot, Emma muses – and dress down to their bikinis. Looking around, Emma quickly spots Killian standing in the hut housing the sound system. She waves shyly when he looks in her direction. He responds with a large smile and a wave of his own before leaving the hut and making his way to her.

"Morning love," he greets her, his voice soft.

"Morning," she greets back with a shy smile then looks away, not adding anything else.

"How are you?" he asks after a moment of silence.

"I'm great, thanks, and you?" she blushes lightly, thinking back to the previous night.

He seems to know where her thoughts have gone, as he smirks lightly.

"I am very well, thank you. At which time do you leave?" he asks, his face becoming a bit somber.

"11:30," Emma whispers.

Killian nods, looking down at his fiddling hands.

"Graham is hosting a stretching session in the water in a little bit, will you participate?" He asks after a moment of silence.

"Hmm, interesting. Maybe," Emma responds with a smile.

He grabs her hand and gives it a quick squeeze before winking at her and walking away.

Awkwardness seems to have fallen between them and Emma isn't sure how to deal with it. His squeezing of her hand tells her that it isn't her, so she blames it on the setting. Like her, he probably wishes they had had more time to spend alone together.

As she walks back to her friends, she hears Killian announce the stretching session over the speakers.

"Hey, do you guys want to participate? It might be good before getting on the plane," Emma suggests.

"Good idea," Ruby approves.

Mary Margaret and Belle nod, and the four girls make their way into the water, where Graham is talking with some other guests.

A few minutes later, he starts guiding them through various stretches. This lasts for about 15 minutes. When he puts an end to the exercise, he approaches them.

"Are you girls leaving today?" he asks them.

"Yes," Emma responds as the other 3 nod.

He launches in what Emma assumes is some kind of corporate speech, as it all seems well rehearsed and he ends by reminding them to go on Trip Advisor to leave their comments on the resort. Emma wants to roll her eyes at that, but refrains, as those comments are probably what also helps them keep their jobs.

When Graham has moved on to other guests, Emma gets out of the pool and heads for her bags to check the time on her phone.

"Girls, it's 11 AM, we should pack up," she says as she goes back to the poolside.

Her friends nod and slowly get out of the pool. Emma grabs her beach bag and heads to the nearby restrooms to change. She puts her wet bikini into her beach bag and heads back to the chairs to gather her stuff. When the other girls come back, Ruby goes to Victor to say goodbye. A wave of pain hits her, but she knows she has to go to Killian to do the same. She spots him in the sand slightly away from the pool, hosting a game. She slowly walks to him. She hears him congratulate a team for winning, so she remains a respectable distance away and waits for him to finish up. He motions for her to come closer when he spots her.

"Thank you for your participation everyone, see you later!" he says as the group leaves, then he turns his attention to her.

She gives him a sad smile.

"Time for me to go," she says softly.

She notices his face fall slightly in disappointment before he nods.

"Alright, lass, be safe," he responds just as softly before reaching for a hug.

Emma nods in his embrace. "You too. Take care," she adds, pulling away and reaching for his hands.

"You too, Emma," he responds, squeezing her hands quickly before letting go.

She waves at him before quickly walking away to grab her bags and head back to the lobby. She can feel herself tearing up, so she needs to get away to avoid a breakdown.

The girls take some time to put their beach bags and bikinis in their luggage as their bus isn't there yet. It soon arrives though, and once their luggage is safely tucked away, the group grabs seats. Emma goes to sit by Mary Margaret.

"Actually, Emma," Mary Margaret stops her hesitantly, "would you mind leaving the space open for David?"

"Of course not," Emma replies with a small smile.

Emma sits in the seat just before, and ends up alone. When the bus departs, she finds she is grateful to be on her own, as a few tears escape, and she doesn't want anyone to see.

She dozes off, and only opens her eyes again when they reach the Cancun airport's vicinity. It takes about a half hour for the bus to park and for them to get off and grab their luggage.

Inside the airport, it is jam packed. There are people everywhere, so much that they have a hard time finding the actual waiting line for their airline.

Once their bags are dropped off, they go through security quickly. Belle gets pulled aside, the metal detector going off when she walks through.

"I've always said there's something weird with her," Ruby jokes once Belle is done.

The group laughs, as the same thing had happened at the Boston airport, the day of their departure, and Belle had told them that it happened every time she travelled.

They follow the signs to the food court, passing through the numerous duty-free shops. They decide to eat before shopping around.

It turns out that it takes so much time to grab food, find places to sit and eat that they barely have time to shop. Emma, Belle and Will leave the others to the shops and go in search of their gate.

Soon, the first boarding call is made, but they decide to wait a little for their friends. When another call is made, they decide to head on, assuming their friends will know they will be on board.

Inside the plane, the seats fill up quickly, but still no sign of their friends. Emma and Belle start to worry, when Mary Margaret finally appears, soon followed by Ruby, David and August.

"Where have you been?" Belle asks, slightly panicked.

"We were actually waiting for you guys," Mary Margaret responds sheepishly.

"You didn't see us head to the gates?" Emma asks, standing up to allow Ruby to her seat by the window.

Mary Margaret shakes her head no.

"Sorry," Emma says, her turn to look sheepish.

"Don't worry about it," Mary Margaret replies. "We're all here now, that's all that matters."

Emma nods and sits back in her seat.

It doesn't take too long before the crew prepares the plane for take-off, and soon, they are up in the air, making their way back to Boston.

Emma swallows one of Belle's anti-nausea pills and drifts off for most of the flight. She wakes up when the crew is handing out the immigration papers to the passengers. Just as Emma finishes filling hers, the plane begins its descent.

As they wait for the plane door to open, Emma turns her phone back on and deactivates the plane mode. Her screen pops up with a few emails, but also with a WhatsApp notification. Swiping to the notification, she sees that Killian has sent her a message: "Have a safe trip back, love. You are a remarkable lass. I didn't wish to say goodbye, as I hope to see you again xx."

She smiles and feels herself begin to tear up, missing him terribly already.

"Is that Killian?" she hears Mary Margaret asks.

"Yes," Emma nods with a shy smile. "How did you know?"

"What is he saying?" Mary Margaret avoids her question.

Emma wants to frown at that, but thinks it's not worth it to dwell on it. Emma shows her phone screen to Mary Margaret, as it's easier than reading it off, what with all the noise around them. Before Mary Margaret can comment, Emma feels a tap on her should and turns around.

"Let me see," Ruby says.

Emma chuckles and shows Ruby her phone. The latter gives her a wide smile and two thumbs up when she looks back up at her. Emma can't help her own wide smile.

Before any more comments can be passed around, the plane swiftly empties, and the group follows their fellow passengers to customs. It all goes without a hitch, so they are able to quickly walk to the baggage carrousels to get their bags. Once they have everything, the girls hug the guys goodbye, and they separate. Mary Margaret drives everyone back to her apartment. Ruby and Belle don't linger, as it is past midnight, and they still have to drive to the other side of the city to get home. Emma lingers for a bit, helping Mary Margaret getting her luggage inside and situated, then drives back to her apartment.

Once she has everything inside, she slowly locks her door before grabbing the handle of her suitcase and pulling it to her bedroom. As she pushes it against her dresser and steps back, reality sets in. She is back in Boston, back to her life. Back to a situation she knows she needs to take care of, but doesn't know how to.

Back to an existence without Killian. And the emptiness she feels inside scares her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review? :o)


	12. Diez - KPOV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the delay. Real life has been busy... again. Here's another glimpse into Killian's side of things. I hope you like it.
> 
> Disclaimer: All I own is the plot.

Chapter 10A

It could be any other Sunday. It could be any other day, really. But it's not.

The previous evening was… unexpected, to say the least.

Things with Milah had been intense, but it was nothing compared to the intensity he'd felt when making love to Emma the night before.

Come to think of it, he's not quite sure how to label what happened, but it wasn't only mindless sex. And he didn't get the impression that it was for Emma either, not with the way she cuddled with him after. Nevertheless, making love seems too complex of an expression to describe what he and Emma engaged in, but careless sex also appears inappropriate. And there aren't really any words to describe the in-between.

Killian is honored that she trusted him enough to let him touch her so intimately. He finds himself wishing for different circumstances, for her to have agreed to follow him to Playa Del Carmen. But he quickly dismisses it, understanding her point of view. They barely know each other, and he hasn't given her much reason to believe she could trust him with her life.

She deserves to be treated like a princess. She didn't have an easy childhood, and adulthood doesn't seem that easy for her either.

Killian doesn't know him, but that man she calls her boyfriend doesn't seem to be worthy of her.

No, he shouldn't be doing this; judging a man he doesn't even know. She must have deemed him worthy of her time if she's in a relationship with him. But still, she deserves better…

Killian feels an unexplainable anger flowing over him. What the bloody hell is going on with him? He barely knows the woman, so why does he feel so bloody protective of her? All he wants is to punch that ponce.

Jealousy.

Killian Jones is envious of that unknown man.

Pulling a pillow over his head, he growls out his frustration. He can't believe himself for this misplaced jealousy.

Is it really that misplaced? That's up for debate, he thinks.

It is misplaced, in the way that he has no claim over her whatsoever. But it is also not all that misplaced, because she does feel attracted to him, at least as much as he is to her if her passion the night before is any indication, and she willingly shared herself in the most intimate way.

But he still doesn't have any claim over her. So his jealousy truly is improper. He is no better than that man. She deserved better than a quick romp in a dark corner behind a bar, in the middle of storage boxes and shelves.

Despite his self-loathing, he is unable to regret what happened. Their attraction was – is – so tangible; they needed to do something about it. He'd felt it in his bones. Of course, he wouldn't have held it against her if she had refused him; he wouldn't be a gentleman otherwise. But this pull was – is – deeply rooted. There was a level of urgency that they couldn't have ignored.

Pushing back the covers and getting out of bed, he dreads the upcoming day.

When he gets to the pool later, his heart skips a beat when he sees Emma is already there. He makes his way to her as she undresses. He'd be a liar if he said he wasn't admiring the view. She is stunning. But he shakes his head before his thoughts get out of control.

He smirks at her blush when he asks her how she is. He knows where her thoughts went, as his followed right after. The previous night is forever etched in his memories.

Her remaining time is short-lived, as before he knows it, she approaches him, dressed in comfortable clothes – no doubt for her flight – looking somber.

He doesn't say goodbye, desperately wishing it isn't the last he sees of her. He goes for a simple "be safe" and "take care", hugging her tightly and giving her hands a quick squeeze.

He feels his heart constrict at her retreating form, but he mentally shakes himself, deciding to keep the wallowing for when he'd be alone.

The emptiness in his gut doesn't ease as the day advances. He'd like nothing but to drown in his self-pity alone in his room, but he needs the pay.

To ease his pain at least a little, he pulls up WhatsApp on his phone and taps a quick message to Emma. He knows she is most likely in the air right now, but it doesn't matter. She'll get the message when she lands.

A few hours later, he hears a chirp coming from his pants pocket, alerting him to a new message. He pulls out his phone and turns on the screen. He can't help the wide grin when he sees Emma has responded to his message: Hi Killian, thank you so much. I landed in Boston a little while ago, just waiting for my suitcase now. I didn't wish to say goodbye either. I hope to see you again too. Talk to you later xx.

His heart flutters at the two kisses in closing. He frowns. He can't possibly be that far gone already over her, can he?

-K&E-

The more time passes after Emma's departure, the more Killian dreads each day on the resort.

Now that he thinks about it, she had been one of his main reasons for getting up in the mornings. When getting to the resort, he had unconsciously been looking for her, his day becoming brighter when she would appear at the pool in the late afternoon. Now that she is gone, all he wants to do is stay in bed.

But he knows it's not sane. He barely knows the woman; he knows he shouldn't be this attached to her. But he can't help himself. He misses her; misses the ray of sunshine she was bringing into his life.

As he ponders over his meager meal, he comes to a decision.

It's time to go back to Ireland, to take back control over his life, to move on. He had let his pain for over his brother's death and Milah's betrayal take control for too long. If he had any hope for any kind of relationship with Emma, he needed to make something of himself first. She needs to know she can rely on him under any circumstances.

That decided, the first thing he needs to check is his finances. Logging into his bank online service, he quickly understands that even with his next pay, he won't have enough money to buy a plane ticket to Dublin.

His determination deflates slightly, but logic takes over. Staying in Mexico is not an option, so he has to do whatever it takes to leave. His pride is going to take a hit, but he literally has no choice.

So he thinks over his options. He cannot access his Ireland finances from there, so he needs to call some reinforcements.

Killian hasn't really kept in touch with his Irish friends since his departure. Several of them disapproved of Milah, so he'd cut the ties. However, he knew of one person he could always count on. Robin Locksley, his childhood friend, although he'd also been disapproving of his relationship with Milah, had always assured Killian that he could rely on him no matter what.

So it's with a slightly bruised ego that Killian decides to send his friend an email.

\---

To: Robin Hood

From: Captain Hook

Subject: Guess who?

Rite mate*,

How's it goin' in good ole Ireland?

I know, it's been donkey's years* since you last heard of me. My entire fault, really.

Mexico's kicking me out, so I've decided to come home. Problem is… my earnings can't exactly afford me a plane ticket.

I feel like a bloody wanker for asking you this, especially after all this time, but I'm trapped. I was wondering if you'd be so kind and lend me some money? I promise I will pay you back.

Howdy,

Killian

\---

He reads over his email one last time before tapping "send" on his phone screen with a slightly frantic heart. If Robin refuses to help him, he doesn't know what he'll do.

Deciding to put this on the back burner for the moment, he picks up his dirty dishes and washes them. As he puts them away, his phone pings with a new email alert. Turning on his phone, he sees Robin has responded.

\---

To: Captain Hook

From: Robin Hood

Subject: Re: Guess who?

Well, well, well…

I won't lie, I'm gobsmacked*. It has indeed been a long time, mate.

The Mexicans got tired of your pretty face?

Don't get your knickers in a twist; it'll be a pleasure to help you. You can pay me back whenever you can, but you'll also shower me in black stuff* indefinitely. You owe me for all this silence.

Let me know when you want to fly back, I'll buy your ticket. All you'll have to do is show up at the airport on time.

Robin

\---

Killian can't help but smile. He doesn't know what he was thinking; of course Robin would help him.

His apprehension at going back to Ireland eases a little, knowing his friend would be there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review? :o)
> 
> Irish slang:
> 
> Rite mate: "Hello"
> 
> Donkey's Years: "a long time"
> 
> Gobsmacked: "very surprised"
> 
> Black Stuff: "Guinness" (Irish beer)


	13. Once

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, I am SO sorry for the wait, real life has been really crazy lately. Here is chapter 11, I hope you will enjoy it. A huge thank you, once again, to Dreamtalker1 for her support in this adventure. She's been crazy busy as well, but please go and read her story A Sailor's Tale, it's simply amazing.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the characters and bla, bla, bla... the usual.

Chapter 11

It has been 2 weeks since Emma came back from Mexico. Two weeks of catching up on work, of going through the motions like a robot. But mostly, 2 weeks of not knowing what to do, of hiding from her friends.

She has been screening her calls and text messages, only giving short answers when a reply is absolutely necessary.

Emma loves her friends, she wouldn't change them for anything in the world, but she doesn't know how to talk to them.

As much as she hates to admit it, she is scared of what they think of her, of her actions. They had been mostly supportive while still in Mexico, but what about now? She couldn't take it if they thought her a cheater.

She truly enjoyed her trip with them, she couldn't have asked for anything else for her first time outside of the US, but she feels incredibly guilty.

Remorse is eating at her insides, so much sometimes that she can barely breathe. She can't seem to find the courage to break up with Neal, who hasn't even tried to contact her. She doesn't really make any effort either, fearing another undeserved lash out.

It all adds up to the burden that already is her relationship. She's not sure how much more she can take, so that's why she has cut herself off from her friends. It's better this way for everyone. At least, that's what she keeps telling herself.

And on top of it all… she misses Killian. Terribly. But she can't bring herself to tell him. Whenever he brings it up when they chat on WhatsApp, she quickly changes the subject. She knows she is pulling away from him, but it's for the best. She doesn't want him to get his hopes up when it comes to her.

Long distance relationships are no longer an option. She even wonders if she should just give up on relationships altogether. Putting her heart on the line is becoming too hard, because she gets burned every time. First Walsh, then Neal, and now Killian… not that Killian has actually hurt her. However, she knows she could fall for him, but the distance is just too much. It would only end up in another failure she's not sure she could recover from.

So it's better to pull away from him now before one of them gets badly hurt.

Maybe one day she will actually believe that statement.

Emma is sitting on her couch, her attention far from the movie playing on Netflix, when there is a knock at her door. Frowning, Emma goes to the door and looks through the peephole: it's Mary Margaret. Emma sighs before opening the door.

"Hey," she greets her friend slightly warily.

"Are you avoiding me?" Mary Margaret ignores her greeting.

Emma flushes slightly, biting at her lower lip. "Why would I do that?"

Mary Margaret smiles sadly. "Emma, you refuse to come for drinks with me, or to gatherings at my place. It definitely feels like you're avoiding not only me, but everyone else too. What's going on?"

"I'm perfectly fine, Mary Margaret. I've just been tired."

"I don't believe you."

Emma huffs, before she reluctantly opens the door wider to let her friend in. Mary Margaret heads to the couch and takes a seat. Emma picks up her glass and heads to the kitchen. She pulls out another glass from the cupboard before grabbing the bottle of wine from her fridge and filling up both glasses. She takes a second to take a deep breath and regroup before making her way back to the couch and sit back down, handing one of the glasses to her friend.

Mary Margaret remains silent. Emma is thankful that her friend gives her time to gather her thoughts. She's not quite ready to have this conversation with anyone, whether it is now or ever. But she knows her friend can be quite persistent. And she must admit that avoiding her might not have been the best tactic. But she's not going to admit that out loud.

"I don't know what to do," Emma finally sighs, looking into her glass as if it could give her some answers.

"About what?" Mary Margaret asks softly.

"Neal. I don't know how to do this, how to break up, when to do it…"

She looks up when she hears her friend sigh.

"Emma, there is no opportune moment to do that, you know," Mary Margaret says quietly.

"I know," Emma nods, "but… it's his birthday next week and I don't feel like it's right to do this right before."

"Do you think he would extend you the same courtesy?"

Emma thinks about this for a moment. She's not quite sure she knows Neal as much as she thought she did anymore, but she knows one thing: he wouldn't try to spare her feelings like she is trying to do.

"Probably not," Emma finally answers her friend's question, frowning slightly. "But how do I do this? I can't very well fly out there just to break up with him, it doesn't make sense…"

"I agree. Has he contacted you since we came back from Mexico?"

"No, and I haven't really put much effort into it either. I'm scared of how the discussion will turn out nowadays, because he often gets mad at me for nothing."

Mary Margaret gives her a sad smile. "He doesn't deserve you. And he doesn't deserve for you to be nice to him anymore. How do you guys communicate most of the time?"

"Texting."

Mary Margaret frowns and thinks for a moment. "It is clear that this relationship has become a burden for you, Emma, so it's more than time to end it. Why don't you send him an email? It's like a letter, without having to use a postage stamp."

"But isn't it, like… cold?" Emma asks in a small voice.

She knows she is trying to spare Neal's feelings again, but she can't help it.

"I guess," Mary Margaret says after a moment of silence, "but Emma, talking to him face to face is not a solution, and you obviously don't want to talk to him over the phone either. That way, you can explain why you are breaking up without getting interrupted. So I think it's the best compromise."

Emma nods, but doesn't say anything else. She turns her attention back to her TV screen.

"It's not all that's bothering you, is it?" Mary Margaret asks softly a while later.

Reluctantly, Emma shakes her head.

"You know you can tell me anything," her friend adds.

Emma thinks about it for a minute. This part has been weighing heavily on her mind ever since they got back from their trip. She doesn't regret anything that happened, but…

"I feel guilty," she blurts out, despair tainting her words. "I don't regret what happened with Killian, but I still feel guilty."

At first, Mary Margaret doesn't say anything. She grabs Emma's hand and gives it a light squeeze.

"It's perfectly normal," she speaks up after a while. "I would probably be slightly worried if you didn't feel guilty, to be honest. It happened, and you can't change it. Don't let this define you or your future. What's important is that now you know better and won't do it again, right?"

Emma shakes her head no in response.

"Emma, I would like to apologize again. I totally overreacted. While I do not agree with what you did, it's your decision. And that being said, in some twisted way, you needed this, Emma," Mary Margaret adds. "Not exactly to do whatever it is you did with Killian, but you needed to meet him. Ruby's right, he's good for you."

"Thanks," Emma says, a light blush covering her cheeks.

"I'm serious, Emma. He's helped you open your eyes. He gave you the push you needed to finally realize you need to move on with your life. I agree that things could have gone differently, but I have to admit that maybe it wouldn't have been as helpful. So Emma, it's time to put all of this behind you and move forward."

Emma nods slowly. She knows her friend is right. She needs to stop waiting for the right moment – because there won't be one – and just do it.

That's easier said than done.

Later that night – or early the next morning – Emma is lying in bed, unable to sleep. It's a good thing she doesn't need to go to work in the morning, or she'd be dead on her feet.

Her brain won't shut down, her conversation with Mary Margaret replaying over and over in her head, when her phone pings. Frowning, she extends her arm to grab it off her nightstand and switches on the screen. A new message from Killian. Her heart skips a beat and she can't help the smile that stretches her lips.

_Hello love, are you awake?_

**Hi, yes, I'm awake.**

_Can't sleep?_

**No. You?**

_Same. What's bothering you? Do you wish to talk about it?_

**No, it's fine. What about you?**

Emma desperately wants to trust him, but he hasn't given her much reason to so far. Even if her gut is telling her he is trustworthy, but she doesn't know him well enough.

_Ah, well… pre-flight jitters, I guess._

He's getting on a plane? What's going on?

**Where are you going?**

When he doesn't respond for a few minutes, she wonders if he has fallen asleep. As she goes to put her phone back on her nightstand, her phone pings again with a new message.

_Ireland._

**For a visit?**

_No, love. I resigned from the resort and decided to go back to my home country, at least for a while._

Emma's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. She did expect him to go back at some point, but not so soon.

**When did you decide this?**

_It's your own fault, lass ;) You made me realize that I want more out of life, that it's time to move on. I am thinking that a thank you is in order._

**Me? How?**

_Aye. By getting to know you, I realized that I have some unfinished business over there, and it's more than time that I take care of it. I like you, Emma, and if you'll allow me, I'd like to get to know you better._

At first, Emma is flattered. It feels incredibly good to know that she has made a difference in someone's life. But then she panics at the second part of his message. Not that she doesn't like him back. It is quite the opposite, in fact. But she doesn't feel good doing this behind Neal's back, relationship over or not.

She doesn't know much time has passed when she hears another ping from her phone. It's a new message from Killian.

_Everything okay, love?_

She doesn't know how to respond. Everything is definitely not okay. But how can she explain all of this to him? If she tells him how guilty she feels, will it hurt him? Emma doesn't want to hurt Killian… but she feels she needs to draw a line somewhere.

So she decides to ignore his last messages. She knows it's not the right way to handle this situation, that's she's technically running away, but it's the only solution she has for now.

She must have fallen asleep at some point, because when she opens her eyes, the sun is shining outside. She mechanically reaches for her phone to check the time and notices she has an unread message from Killian.

_I sense I may have told you something that upset you, so please accept my apologies. But I'm not giving up, Emma. Good night._

She sighs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I apologize for the delay. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review if you feel like it :o)


	14. Once - KPOV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright guys, I know it has been forever. I don't really have any excuses except real life. And I must admit I'm kind of bummed at the way the series has turned out and that most of our favorite characters are gone. So I wasn't all that motivated to update or read any fanfiction lately. However, I have started reading some again, and inspiration is slowly coming back. Please have faith... for those who are still reading this.
> 
> I'm not expert on immigration, customs and such, so if Killian's passage through customs seems odd to you, I apologize in advance.
> 
> Disclaimer: still don't own the character or show.

**Chapter 11A**

Two weeks come and go, and before he knows it, Killian finds himself on the day prior to his flight to Dublin. And he is nervous. So much that the pain in his hand has picked up again with a vengeance. His painkillers barely manage to keep it at bay.

There is one good thing about going back to Ireland, Killian thinks as he packs the last of his few possessions, is that he'll be able to see his doctor for an update on his condition and see about his medication.

The last two weeks have also been hard on Killian due to his apprehensiveness about going back to Ireland after almost 5 years of absence. He is sure the country hasn't changed, but he has, and many things have changed for him, so he is not quite sure how he will cope. Especially when he will visit his brother's grave. He is well aware that it is a long overdue visit, but Killian had never found the courage to go back until now, the weight of his guilt too heavy. Talking to Emma had relieved some of it, but there still remains some, as he regrets not listening to his brother's advice.

And Emma… he isn't quite sure what to make of their situation. He had thought that they were well on their way to something extraordinary when she left, but the more they have been talking since her return, the more he has felt her pull away from him, close herself off emotionally. He isn't quite sure what provoked this, but he does have an idea. He wouldn't change their dalliance for anything, but he has a feeling it is weighing heavily on Emma's mind. The way she has skirted around the subject the few times he tried to bring it up speaks volumes.

Killian is perfectly aware that she cheated on her boyfriend by engaging in sex with him, but she consented to it. Had she refused, he would have done the gentleman thing and let her go. But she wanted it at least as much as he. Were he in her place, he would probably feel some guilt too, he can't deny that. But she said herself that the relationship is over, that she is going to break up with that guy. So while a part of him understands that she is trying to distance herself, another part of him doesn't. This leads him to believe that something else is bothering her.

All of this keeps him awake that night. He will be dead on his feet to catch his flight in the morning, and won't be able to catch much sleep before his layover in New York, but he can't find it in himself to care. He is more concerned about Emma, in fact.

With that thought, he decides to message her to try and see if she is awake. He misses her, and thinks that talking to her might ease the pain of her absence some. He is delighted when she replies almost instantly, but it is quickly replaced by disappointment when she refuses – again – to tell him what distresses her.

He thinks back to the last night she was at the resort and wonders what made her open up to him. And that's when it hits him: he had opened up to her about his past. So he tries to go that route again. Her reaction is minimal, but at least she is not completely indifferent. He knows he probably pushes his luck when he tells her he likes her and wants to get to know her better, but he can't help himself. He decides that since he was being honest, better not to hold back. So he isn't all that surprised when she doesn't reply to this message or the next. He tries to compromise by apologizing, but promises not to give up.

Give up on what? He isn't sure exactly yet. But he certainly doesn't want to let this – whatever _this_ is between them – slide through his fingers like sand. He needs to make her trust him by opening up to her. Knowing her past, it won't be an easy task, but Killian Jones loves a challenge. He believes that telling her about going back to Ireland is a step in the right direction. Her silence, while not being the reaction he was expecting, definitely says a lot.

He sits up in bed with a start a few hours later, his phone ringing with his alarm. He rubs at his eyes before reaching for the device. He turns off the alarm then checks if he has missed anything. He feels a slight pang of disappointment when he sees there is no reply from Emma, but he quickly shakes it away, knowing he needs to give her some time.

So with a sigh, he leaves his bed and goes for a shower. Once done, he packs his toiletries and medication in his carry-on and verifies that he hasn't left anything behind before closing his bags and bringing them to the front door.

He had said goodbye to the guys the previous night. He'd spent more time with Graham and Victor, being his closest friends here.

Victor is scheduled to leave two weeks later, planning on going back to the US. Meeting Ruby had given him the final push he needed to cement his decision.

It is surprising sometimes how much meeting a woman can put things into perspective, Killian muses.

He leaves the apartment after taking a last look around… just to make sure he is not forgetting anything, he tells himself.

He catches a _collectivo_ from the resort to Playa Del Carmen, and from there, a charter bus to the Cancun airport.

Check-in for his flight goes well, Robin having made sure that he would get a window seat when booking the ticket. Things aren't so easy at the security checkpoint though, as he gets pulled aside for a thorough search. But since he has nothing to hide, they eventually let him go.

The flight to New York is uneventful. When he lands at JFK, he takes his time to make his way to his next gate, as he has a 6 hours layover before his flight to Dublin. He wanders around the duty free shops and gets something to eat before finally grabbing a seat at his gate. After eating, he decides to shoot Emma a quick message.

_Hello love. I am in New York right now, waiting for my flight to Dublin. I hope you are having a good day. I just wanted to check-in with you, let you know how I'm faring. I hope to talk to you again soon. Xx_

To say he is disappointed when she doesn't reply would be lying, but he knows their discussion from the previous night is probably still fresh on her mind, so he tries not to let his irritation take over his emotions.

Not having anything else to do, he decides to stretch on the bench and close his eyes for a bit. He wakes up to someone shaking his shoulder. When his vision clears up, he sees an airline employee standing above him.

"Sir, are you scheduled to take the American Airlines flight to Dublin?" the employee asks.

"Aye, why?"

"We just called the last call."

"Bloody hell," Killian curses, shooting in a sitting position.

He quickly gathers his belongings and follows the employee to the counter. His passport and ticket are quickly checked, so he runs to the airplane's door. His seatmates grumble a little, but he settles in his seat quickly, so the grumbling ceases fast.

The plane soon takes off. Despite his nerves at being back in his home country, he is able to shut down his brain long enough to catch some more sleep. It's not a restful sleep per say, but when he wakes up a few hours later, he feels rested enough to get through the day.

When the plane touches down, his anxiety picks up again, the throbbing in his hand a sure sign of it. When he finally exits the plane, he stops at a bathroom to swallow a painkiller before continuing on his way to customs. He sighs in relief when the officer lets him go after questioning him on his extended stay in Mexico.

He is able to quickly pick up his suitcase at the carousel, so he promptly makes his way to the exit. He is surprised to find Robin waiting for him on the other side.

"Mate! What are you doing here?" Killian asks before reaching for a hug.

"I gathered you would need a ride," Robin responds after they have pulled away.

"You didn't have to, but thanks. Saves me the hassle of renting a car."

"Glad to be of service," Robin says dryly. "You have everything?"

"Aye."

"Let's go then."

Killian follows Robin out of the airport silently, breathing in the Ireland air. A mix of several things; but mostly the sea. Back in Mexico, he could still smell the sea, but it's not the same as here. To him, it smells different in Ireland. A mix of salt, rain and grass. He absorbs it, takes comfort in it.

"You alright?" Robin asks him as they sit in the car.

"I will be," Killian responds, his voice slightly strained.

Robin nods in understanding before starting the engine.

The first thing Killian knows, someone is shaking him and he opens his eyes. He turns around in his seat and notices Robin looking at him, which reminds him that he is in Ireland. He had momentarily forgotten where he is.

"Where are we?" he asks groggily, rubbing at his eyes and looking around outside.

"My house," Robin replies. "I thought you could stay here for a few days before going back to yours."

Killian thinks that over for a moment before nodding. "Aye, good idea."

He hadn't thought much about his sleeping arrangements upon arriving, and Robin seems to have picked up on it. He is slightly embarrassed, but he would deny it if someone asked.

They step out of the car and make their way to the door after grabbing Killian's bags. Just as they reach the door, Robin turns around and pauses.

"What is it?" Killian asks when his friend remains silent.

"I have a new girlfriend. Actually, she is my fiancée."

"Wow, congratulations, mate."

"Thank you. Now, please don't hate her."

Killian frowns. "Why would I hate her?"

"Well, Regina has a tendency to be cold with strangers. She'll warm up to you… eventually. Her employees call her the Evil Queen."

"She sounds lovely," Killian replies.

Robin punches him lightly on the shoulder.

"Be nice," he warns.

"Always am," Killian replies with an idiotic smile.

"Uh huh," Robin grumbles, but he doesn't add anything else and pushes the door open.

Killian makes a mental note to ask his friend what happened with Marian.

"Hello? Regina?" he hears Robin call out in the house as he steps through the door and drops his bags.

He then hears the clacking of heels on the hardwood floor, and a woman with black hair appears.

"Robin, you're back, with… your friend," Regina says with a sneer at the end.

Killian wants to roll his eyes, but refrains for his friend's sake.

"Regina, meet Killian Jones. We are childhood friends, like I told you. Killian, meet my fiancée Regina Mills," Robin introduces them.

Killian steps forward and offers his hand to shake. "A pleasure to meet you, Regina," he adds with what he hopes is a friendly smile.

She hesitates for a moment before shaking hands with him.

"Likewise," Regina responds, her expression not changing.

"Alright," Robin says after a moment of awkward silence. "I will show Killian to his room."

He grabs the suitcase and Killian, his carryon, and they make their way up the stairs, under Regina's watchful eyes.

"Does she know how to smile?" Killian asks jokingly as he drops his bag on the bed.

Robin slaps him upside the head.

"Mate!" he exclaims, rubbing at the spot. "What was that for?"

"For being a git," Robin replies spitefully.

"Papa!" a small lad storms in before Killian can reply.

He isn't more than 4 or 5 years old, Killian estimates, observing him. Robin lifts him up in his arms.

"Hello Roland," Robin says, kissing his temple. "You remember Killian?"

The lad buries his face in his father's neck shyly, shaking his head no.

"Well, this is your uncle Killian, lad," Robin says softly. "He has come back to Ireland today."

"Where he is before?" Roland asks.

"I was in Mexico, lad," Killian responds, stepping closer to father and son. "But now uncle Killy is back to have some fun with you."

"Okay uncle Killy!" Roland exclaims, his arms shooting up with his excitement. "Down, papa!"

Robin puts his son back on his feet, and he runs back out of the room.

"You do know that uncle Killy thing is going to stick, don't you?" Robin asks once his son is out of earshot.

Killian winces slightly. "Aye. Maybe I shouldn't have said that."

Robin chuckles, slapping his shoulder. "Sorry mate, too late now. Alright, I'll let you settle in. Come down when you're ready."

"Aye, thanks mate."

Robin nods and exits the room. Killian remains standing there for a moment, his hands in his pockets, wondering what to do next. He slowly turns around and surveys the room: different shades of grey, and yellow and black accents. He's not so sure he likes yellow, but he'll make do for a few days, he muses. He grabs his suitcase and deposits it on the bench at the foot of the bed, and unzips it. Deeming it counterproductive to unpack, as he intends to stay for only a day or two, he leaves the suitcase as it is and steps up to the window.

As he contemplates the woods at the edge of the backyard, he thinks about what should be the first thing to do as he goes over his mental checklist: get a new phone, visit his brother's grave, visit his doctor, get settled back into the house he once shared with his brother.

Killian decides to start with the bank to access his local accounts, and then getting a new phone. It would be enough for today. And maybe have a pint with Robin later to catch up.

With that in mind, he goes back downstairs and finds Robin in the kitchen alone with Roland. He pulls out a chair on the other side of Roland, ruffling his hair. The lad laughs and pushes his hand away before concentrating back on his picture.

"So what's the plan?" Robin asks him.

"For today, it will be the bank and getting a new phone," Killian replies distractedly, watching Roland draw. "And maybe grab a pint later?" he adds, looking back up at his friend.

Robin nods. "Sure, we'll go when Regina gets home."

Killian nods in turn.

"Are you hungry?" Robin asks suddenly.

Killian's stomach growls as if on cue. Roland laughs, closely followed by Killian.

"Papa, uncle Killy is hungry!" the lad exclaims.

"Then I shall make him something to eat," Robin replies, standing up and making his way to the fridge.

"I can take care of myself," Killian protests, starting to stand up from his chair.

"I know you can, but you are my guest, mate, so shut your trap and let me make you something to eat," Robin retorts.

Killian sits back down and makes a zipping motion with his lips, throws his hands up in surrender. Roland laughs at his gesture.

Later that afternoon, Killian is sitting on the bed in the guestroom, fiddling with his new phone. After transferring all of his contacts and installing his favorite apps, he decides to send Emma a quick message.

_Hello love, this is my new number. I have made it safely to Ireland. I am staying with my friend Robin for a few days. I hope to talk to you again soon._

He believes that letting her know how he is faring is a good start in his quest to gain her trust. Given her past, he needs to show her that he is not going to abandon her.

And then suddenly, he misses her. He can feel it in the pit of his stomach, the ache of her absence.

Why does he miss her so much? He'd barely spent time with her during her stay. How has he developed such a strong connection to her?

Needing to see her, he logs into the Facebook application on his phone and pulls up her page. At first, he feels bad for somehow invading her privacy like that, but on the other hand, they are Facebook friends; she's given him permission to have a glimpse into her life.

He notices she isn't one for taking selfies and sharing her entire life on there. It's both a good and a bad thing, in a sense. It's a good thing, because it allows her to maintain a certain level of privacy and anonymity. It's a bad thing, because he doesn't learn much more about her. He chuckles at that thought, thinking himself a tool.

Later that night, after a rather pleasant dinner, Killian finds himself in one of his former favorite pubs with Robin. The pub is rather quiet – it is Monday night after all, and there is no match – so they grab a booth and order a pint of Guinness each.

"So how did you and Regina meet?" he asks after taking his first sip of beer.

"Roland spilled hot chocolate on her," Robin replies.

"I can't imagine that went over well," Killian comments warily.

"You're right," Robin chuckles. "I noticed that she was looking at the real estate pages, so I offered to pay for her dry cleaning and find a house for her, free of commission."

"And the rest is history?"

"Not exactly. I was still with Marian back then, and Roland was only a few months old. The day after meeting Regina, Marian met with her doctor, and he told her she had a brain tumor, which explained her frequent migraines. She died less than 6 months later."

"Mate, I'm so sorry," Killian says sympathetically.

"Thank you. Regina helped me through the grief. She helped me with Roland when the pain was too great. And somewhere along the way, I fell in love with her. The rest is history."

"I'm happy for you," Killian speaks sincerely. "Though I wish I was here when Marian passed. I feel like a complete ponce."

"Killian," Robin says slowly after a moment of silence, "you were living your own life. When you met Milah, she became your entire world. Of course I was disappointed when you left after her to Canada, and that you weren't here when Marian passed, but you are not any less my friend."

Killian nods. He remains silent for a while, sipping at his beer. A question comes to his mind. About something that has been plaguing him for a while now. Since his brother's death, if he were honest. But since he had mostly failed at keeping in touch with his Irish friends, he'd put it to the back of his mind. Now, he needs to know. He's not sure why, but he is desperate to know.

"Robin, why did everyone dislike Milah so much?"

His friend almost chokes on his beer, but recovers quickly.

"Are you sure?" Robin eventually asks.

Killian nods. "Aye. I need to know."

"Alright," Robin pauses, taking a deep breath. "She was a manipulator, Killian," Robin says without ceremony. "You were too enamored with her to notice, but take this from an outsider, she was manipulating you. She was always choosing her words carefully; to make sure you would do her bidding. I do believe she loved you at some point, she seemed genuinely in love with you in the beginning, and we were all happy for you. But with time, she isolated you. She wanted you for her alone, that's why she talked you into following her to Canada."

"She'd said she loved my adventurous side," Killian offers, trying to defend her, but his friend's words are getting to him.

"I don't doubt she did at some point, but she eventually started using it to isolate you from us, from your brother. Liam was the first one to notice what she was doing."

"Why hasn't anyone told me?"

Robin gives him a sad smile. "We tried, mate, but you wouldn't listen. When Liam had his car accident, it was to catch a plane to Canada. He had said it was his ultimate attempt at trying to talk to you."

Killian closes his eyes at that, the guilt hitting him full force once again. But then he remembers what Emma told him, that it wasn't his fault. Now he understands better what she was saying. It was Liam's decision. He sips calmly at his beer, noticing Robin observing him.

"What?" he asks his friend curiously.

"I'm impressed, mate," Robin says.

Killian's eyebrows shoot up. "Impressed?" he repeats, baffled.

"Aye. I thought you would throw a fit or something."

Killian chuckles. "Well, the old me would have. I already knew about Liam's accident, the police called me after it happened. But I didn't know it was a last attempt at talking to me."

Robin silently observes him again. "How are you so calm?" he asks eventually.

"Some years have passed, mate," Killian starts. Should he mention Emma? Was this a good time to talk about her? Then Killian realizes that maybe his friend could help him sort out his feelings. "And there may be someone who talked some sense into me. Believe me, I was feeling guilty about Liam's passing all this time, but this lass made me realize it wasn't my fault. I still feel some guilt, but it's not as bad."

"A lass, eh?" Robin asks teasingly.

"Aye, Emma," is all he offers about her with a wistful smile.

As much as he wants to confide in his friend, he feels there is something holding him back. Maybe the situation with her is still too unsteady. Maybe gaining her trust means keeping things between them for now.

"That's all you're going to tell me, mate? Her name?" Robin asks incredulously.

"For now, mate," Killian responds. "I'm not quite ready to talk about her in details yet."

"Alright then," Robin says dubiously. "If you say so."

They are silent for a while after that, sipping at their beers.

"Are you sure the Mexico sun hasn't fried your brain, mate?" Robin suddenly asks jokingly.

"Bloody git," he replies with an amused smirk.

Killian retires to his room soon after he and Robin get back to his house. The lack of sleep and jetlag are catching up to him. After getting ready for bed, he decides to send Emma another message.

_Good evening love, I hope you had a good day. It's a bit weird being back, but it's nice being able to spend time with Robin again. I hadn't realized how much I had missed his friendship until today._

He hits send after that, needing a moment to think of what to say next, when his phone pings with a new message notification. His heart misses a beat when he sees it's from Emma.

**Hello Killian, I'm glad Robin is there for you.**

_Ah, there you are. I've missed you, lass. Missed our discussions. How are you?_

**I'm fine, and you?**

The fact that she avoids the part where he tells her he misses her is not lost on him, but he thinks: baby steps. He has to give her more time. It's only been 2 days, after all.

_I'm fine as well, thank you. How was your day?_

**Busy. There is never a dull moment for the BPD.**

_Chased a lot of criminals today, love?_

**Kind of. My precinct was raiding a mafia joint today.**

_Are you alright?_

**Yeah. No one from the precinct was injured. Those criminals, however… ;)**

_Good job, love._

**Thanks.**

_Alright, as much as I enjoy discussing with you, the lack of sleep and the jetlag have caught up with me; I am dead on my feet. I'll talk to you later?_

He waits for her response with bated breath, almost fearing that she will reject him. The minutes tick by without a sign of her. What could he possibly have said to upset her this time? When 10 minutes have gone by and she still hasn't replied, Killian is disappointed and confused. He decides not to add anything else, puts his phone on the nightstand and turns off the light. His phone pings just as he is starting to drift off into sleep. He turns the light back on before grabbing his phone and checking the new message.

**Sorry for taking so long to respond, Mary Margaret called. You're probably asleep by now, but that's okay. Good night Killian, I'll talk to you later.**

He grins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review please? :o)


	15. Doce

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, happy Sunday! I wanted to update yesterday, but I couldn't access my FF account due to some technical problem on the site, and I always update here and FF at the same time.
> 
> Soooo... this is it, the break-up. I hope it meets your expectations. Or at least, that you won't be disappointed. *ducks behind the couch*
> 
> Disclaimer: nope...

**Chapter 12**

The thunderstorm raging outside fits perfectly with her angry thoughts. Her mind changes as often as the thunder hits outside. Her thoughts are as dark as the clouds.

Today is Neal's birthday. It's almost time for her to go to bed, and she still doesn't know what to do. Wish him a happy birthday or not? The question sounds so simple… And normally, it would be a no brainer. She doesn't even need to think about it when it's one of her friends' birthday. But Neal? The relationship must really be over if she is debating as to whether or not she wishes him a happy birthday.

She huffs in frustration, pacing the length of her living room.

For all she knows, he could brush it off and complain that she doesn't usually have time to text him, but that she has time for that. Or he could just not acknowledge her message at all. She doesn't know which is worst.

She hates not being able to predict his reaction anymore.

Which is why, at the end of the night, she chooses to remain silent.

-K&E-

The next day, Emma wakes up with a feeling of dread overtaking her. She isn't sure what to make of it. The shower doesn't help, neither does cooking breakfast. When she sits at her table to eat, she has no appetite anymore. Not wanting this food to go to waste, she eats it anyway. She almost throws up as she washes her dishes, but she manages to keep it down after taking a few deep breaths.

She changes clothes at least 3 times – she's lost count, truth be told – and still isn't satisfied with her looks. She pulls her hair up into a ponytail, and then unties it. She repeats that a few times, and she is still undecided on her hairstyle.

"What the hell is wrong with me today?" she wonders aloud, frustrated.

She sits down on her bed and puts her head in her hands, trying to get rid of that nervous energy. But it doesn't work.

Just as she's about to turn back to her closet for another change of clothes, there is a knock at the door. She finds Ruby on the other side.

"Hey," Ruby greets her. "Ready to go?"

"Hum, yeah," she hesitates slightly. "Do I look okay?"

Ruby looks at her strangely. "Are you okay?"

"No. Let's get out of here before I lose my mind."

She grabs her keys and purse, and then exits the apartment before she changes her mind and goes back to her room to change again.

The plan is to shop for a date outfit for Ruby. She really could use the distraction, she tells herself, given her state of mind of the morning. Apparently, Victor told her he is coming back to the US sometime in the upcoming week, and they have already planned a date.

She's happy for her friend, really, but she can't help the jealousy brewing inside. She wishes things were different somehow… Okay, maybe that's a bit unfair, she reprimands herself. Sure, she could have had a different childhood, but adulthood isn't all that bad. Despite the current situation with Neal, they'd had good moments before everything went downhill.

If she could just find the courage to end this relationship…

She's sat down a few times with her laptop, to try and write him an email like Mary Margaret suggested. But every time was the same thing: a blank page. She doesn't know where to start. She knows they are both at fault for the failure of their relationship, but she can't help but think that he should be carrying most of the blame. He is the one who stopped trusting her, stopped talking to her. He has basically cut her off. It's like he broke up without actually telling her. She deserves better.

She shakes her head to get rid of those thoughts, determined to enjoy those few hours with Ruby.

And she does.

Even if they are essentially shopping for Ruby, Emma finds herself a few pieces too. They say shopping is a form of therapy. The freedom she feels as she goes from store to store tells her that they are right.

At some point, they decide they need a break to eat. They head to the food court, grab a table and take turns in ordering their meal.

Emma drops her purse on the chair beside her and takes out her phone mechanically to check the time as she eats.

She finds she has an unread text message from Neal. She unlocks her screen and taps into the message, her heart pounding.

_You know, I was expecting at least a text from you for my birthday._

Seriously? But then again, he always finds something to pick on when it comes to her. He's never happy with whatever she does anymore.

She feels an overwhelming anger growing.

"Emma, are you okay?" she hears Ruby ask suddenly.

That's when she is reminded of her surroundings: the food court of the shopping mall.

"I'm fine," she answers automatically.

She hears Ruby sigh. "Emma, you're clenching your fists and you have a few tears falling. That's not what I would call fine."

Emma quickly wipes at her face. She hadn't realized she was crying. Without a word, she stands up and makes her way to the restrooms. She quickly washes her face then goes back to the table.

"Emma, what's going on?" Ruby asks worriedly when she sits back down.

She takes a deep breath to try and keep her anxiety and anger at bay. "Neal texted," is all she is able to say before a new lump forms in her throat. She tries to swallow it down, but it doesn't work.

Ruby gives her a sympathetic smile. "What did he say?"

Feeling like she will break down if she speaks, she shows Ruby the text instead.

"Do you want me to take you home?" her friend offers after handing back the phone.

Emma nods wordlessly, still unable to speak around the lump firmly settled in her throat.

"Okay then, let's go," Ruby says as she stands up to dispose of her trash.

Emma follows suit and shortly after that, they are back on the road. She doesn't speak a word on the car ride, lost in thought as she watches the city go by outside her window. Before she knows it, the car stops in front of her building. She wordlessly unbuckles her seatbelt and opens the door.

"Do you want me to come up?" Ruby asks softly.

This time, when she swallows, part of the lump goes away, so she is able to speak.

"Thanks Ruby, but no. I need to do this alone," she replies, her voice tight and rough.

Ruby observes her silently for a moment, as if wondering if she is telling the truth. As much as she would have liked to lie about her current state of mind, Emma finds it impossible. She is barely reigning in her emotions as it is at the moment, lying would prove to be impossible. She truly wants to be alone to do this. And Ruby must understand that, as she finally nods.

"Call me if you need anything, alright?" Ruby says as she exits the car.

Emma bends down to nod at her quickly before stepping back and shutting the car door. She makes her way inside and takes the stairs slowly, trying to delay the inevitable. But it is when one wishes for time to slow down that it appears to go even faster instead.

She slowly steps inside her apartment and quietly closes the door, bolting the lock behind her. She pulls her phone out of her purse and turns on the screen as she makes her way to the couch. She finds she has a new message from Neal, so she unlocks her phone and reads it.

_Is it too much to ask from you to take a minute out of your "busy" schedule to text me on my birthday?_

She frowns slightly at the quotation marks, wondering what he could mean. She takes a deep breath before replying.

**I'm sorry if my schedule is such an inconvenience for you. You know, I spent all day yesterday debating as to whether or not I should. Would you really have been happy if I had?**

It takes a few minutes before his reply comes in.

_Well look at that, she's not busy for once. You're my girlfriend Emma; I think it's natural of me to expect a birthday wish from you. And I would think it would be natural of you to wish your boyfriend a happy birthday._

Natural? Because it's the polite thing to do? Is he even in the same relationship she is? Hasn't he noticed how strained things have become between them?

_Why are you treating me like a piece of shit, Emma? What have I done?_

**Excuse me? I am treating you like a piece of shit? Look who's talking! YOU have been treating me like dirt for months.**

_I was going through a rough time, can't you understand that?_

Oh, that's rich, she thinks bitterly.

**What you don't seem to realize is that I have been nothing but understanding regarding your situation. I was nothing but supportive while you were jobless.**

_Understanding, supportive? I don't recall you having enough time for that. Hell, you had enough time to go to Mexico with your friends, but you didn't have time for me._

Mexico? How the hell does he know about that?

**How do you know about Mexico? Not that it matters much… I left on a trip because I needed time away.**

_I opened a new Facebook account. I saw your pictures through a mutual friend. Time away, huh? Time to meet with that Killian guy behind my back, you mean?_

**Killian was one of the resort's employees, working on the entertainment team. He spent almost an entire day with me because I got an injury.**

_Do you have a crush on the guy?_

She is relieved that they are not speaking over the phone or face to face, as she would be a sputtering mess. She's never been more thankful for text messages than at that moment. But she needs to come up with a response quick, as she knows her silence will only fuel his ire. But she can't find anything. He got her.

_Have I struck a nerve, Emma?_

She can almost hear his maniacal laugh. She feels herself tear up. This is it. The end.

**So what if I do? He's treated me better in the few days I was there than you have in months. I think it would be best if we went our separate ways.**

She is full on crying when she presses send, and she can't seem to stop. She had hoped for a somewhat friendly break up, but apparently it was too much to ask.

_I was going to break up with you anyway._

And of course he couldn't let her have the upper hand.

She becomes ill with rage, throwing the phone beside her on the couch and burying her face in her hands. She wants to scream out her pain and sorrow. So she grabs one of the pillows and does just that. The relief it brings is only temporary, however. She grabs her phone again and deletes his number from her contacts. Then she goes to her Facebook application, modifying her privacy settings so that only her friends can see her content.

And then she cries. She cries at the pain; the physical pain, the one where she feels her heart has been ripped out and stepped on multiple times. She cries at the fear she feels, that she'll never find the bottom of that hole she is falling in. She feels like she is drowning. The surface of the water is just out of reach and she doesn't have the energy to swim back up.

Loving someone means laying our heart open to them; giving them a part of ourselves we wouldn't give to anyone else, letting them inside a part of ourselves that only they can hurt. It means literally handing them a knife and a map of where to cut the deepest and most painfully on our heart and soul. Neal had known just where to hit to hurt her the most.

They say the heart doesn't have bones, so it can't break; that the purpose of loving is the pounding the heart takes.

As she closes her eyes and drifts away, she thinks she's not sure she wants to experience that pounding ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *raising from behind the couch so that only the eyes are visible* So, what did you think?


	16. Trece

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday everyone! I hope you had a good weekend. Here is the next chapter, the aftermath of the break-up... I hope you'll like it.
> 
> Disclaimer: I still don't own anything pertaining to OUAT, A&E, ABC, Disney, etc.

**Chapter 13**

Blinding light hits her retinas when she opens her eyes, so she promptly shuts them again. Did she forget to pull the curtains closed when she went to bed the night before? She wonders as she rubs at her eyes sleepily. When she opens them again and her eyesight is less blurry, the first thing she sees is her TV. She frowns. _What is she doing in the living room?_ She asks herself as she slowly sits up. She notices her phone on the cushion beside her and that's when it all comes back to her.

The nasty fight. The break up. The crying. She doesn't remember anything after that, so she assumes that she cried herself to sleep. That would explain the puffy eyes and the dried salt on her cheeks.

The pain is still vivid, but its weight isn't as heavy as the night before.

She takes a moment to close her eyes and breathe in deeply and slowly release it. She repeats that a few more times, helping in calming the pounding of her heart. She then grabs her phone and pulls up her texting app to message Mary Margaret. She debates what to tell her friend for a few minutes, but finally settles on a simple "it's done". She knows Mary Margaret will understand what she means.

She stands up and heads to her bathroom for a shower. The water and soap help remove another layer of pain and sorrows, making her feel lighter.

Just as she's done blowing her hair dry, she hears her phone ring in the living room. She runs out to try and catch the call before it goes to voicemail. She makes it in time, making sure to look at the caller ID. She is relieved when she sees it's Mary Margaret calling.

"Hello?" she answers slightly out of breath.

" _Emma?_ " she hears her best friend's soft voice say.

"Hey," Emma replies quietly.

" _I know this will sound terribly cliché, but how are you? How are you holding up?_ "

Emma exhales slowly, trying to assess how exactly she is feeling.

"Honestly, I'm not sure," she says after a moment of silent thinking. "I had been hoping for a somewhat friendly break-up, you know. But apparently, it was too much to ask."

" _Oh no. What did he say?_ " Mary Margaret asks sympathetically.

"That he was expecting at least a text from me for his birthday. He was bitching about my apparent busy schedule and asked why I was treating him like shit," Emma summarizes. "And when I told him that he had been treating me like dirt for months, he had the nerve to tell me he had been going through a rough time."

" _It looks like he is buried too deep in his own pain to notice just how much he's hurting you._ "

"And he knows about Mexico!" Emma explodes. "He said he opened a new Facebook account and saw my pictures through one of our mutual friends!"

" _What?_ " Mary Margaret asks in horror.

"He opened a new Facebook account, Mary Margaret! And he hadn't even told me! Who the hell does that?" A new set of tears escapes Emma's eyes.

His opening of a new Facebook account may seem like a minor thing to some people, but it feels like he's done it to spy on her or something.

"He had told me that he had closed his other account because he thought it was pointless, that he wasn't using it anyway. And then he opens a new one without telling his own girlfriend? Had he never mentioned the Mexico pictures, I would never have known and it would have remained harmless. But he had to go and mention the pictures and accuse me of going there for the sole purpose of meeting Killian behind his back!"

She hears Mary Margaret sigh at the other end of the line.

" _I don't know what to say, Emma,_ " her friend says after a moment of silence. " _It seems like there is no getting through to him. This is for the best, Emma._ "

"I know," Emma agrees, sitting down on her couch and dropping her head to her free hand. "But it hurts so much. I think about what we once had and it makes my stomach hurt."

" _I know, Emma. Give yourself some time. It was truly the best thing to do, to break up with him. Soon you'll feel free, relieved. That relationship had become such a burden for you._ "

Emma knows her friend is right, but it doesn't make it hurt any less.

"Thanks," she sighs into the phone. "I already feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. So, in a way, I'm glad it happened. Now I know how I want to be treated the next time around."

" _I'm very glad to hear that, Emma. And I'm also glad you're not closing yourself up to possibilities,_ " her friend replies softly.

"Thank you Mary Margaret," Emma whispers.

" _For what?_ "

"For… everything. For being there."

" _That's what friends are for. If you need anything, let me know._ "

"I will. Bye."

" _Bye Emma._ "

She sighs as she hangs up. Like she told Mary Margaret, she feels lighter somehow. Her friend is right; the relationship had become a burden for her. A burden that she could no longer carry.

Later in the day, she is lounging on her sofa looking through her Netflix list and eating ice cream from the tub, when her phone chirps with a new message.

_Hey, MM just told me what happened. How are you holding up? –R_

**I'll be fine… eventually. –E**

_Okay. Well if you need anything, let me know. –R_

**Thanks. –E**

Sometimes she'd curse Mary Margaret's inability to keep something to herself, but in this case, she can't help but feel grateful. This way, she doesn't need to repeat what happened countless times.

She is also thankful that her friends are giving her space. She doesn't want to curl up in a friend's lap and cry. She isn't comfortable with that since she never had that while growing up.

She thinks a friend's comfort wouldn't be so bad, after all, when she goes to bed later that night and can't help the new batch of tears that escape.

The next day, she goes to work and gets through her day without so much as an incident. She mostly keeps to herself, although, she knows it would be suspicious if she were more closed up than usual, so she tries to act as usual. Her partner, Green, doesn't comment if she has noticed something is off with her. Although, she does give her a sympathetic smile and pat on the shoulder when she exits the locker room before her at the end of their shift. They usually only exchange a goodbye.

The next few days go by pretty much the same way. She wakes up in the morning, has breakfast, goes to work, and comes back to her apartment every night for dinner, some Netflix, and then goes to bed.

She doesn't contact Killian.

In truth, she doesn't quite know what to tell him. It's not like it's really any of his business if she's now single. If anything, telling him would mean opening the door for him to pursue her, and she's not quite sure how she feels about that. They're not even living on the same continent. An entire ocean and a 5-hours' time difference separate them. She can't wrap her head around how a relationship with Killian would work this way.

Which then makes her ponder as to what happened that brought him to Mexico. He'd mentioned it was heartbreak.

Above everything, however, how can she trust him if he won't share his own past? Sure, he'd told her what happened to his brother on her last night in Mexico, and it does explain a part of the man he is today. But it isn't everything.

Killian doesn't contact her either, and she finds herself both disappointed and relieved. She is disappointed, because despite everything, she misses him. But she is also relieved, because then she doesn't need to skirt around his questions. Her conversations with him always leave her emotionally drained, because she struggles to remain distant. She wants so much to open up to him… but she is always aware of the physical distance separating them, so she holds back.

On Thursday night, she gets home later than usual after a very tiring day. Practically the entire Boston police force was solicited for most of the day because of a man that decided to take some children hostage in a school.

Fortunately, none of the children were harmed, but they weren't sure until the man finally decided to surrender after several hours of negotiations.

Emma, along with a few other female officers, had tended to the children when they were released, until the paramedics and the parents took over.

Exhausted, she grabs a random frozen dinner from her freezer and throws it into the microwave while she goes to change into some yoga pants and a tank top.

As she settles down to eat, her phone beeps with a new message alert. Her heart misses a beat when she sees it's Killian.

_Good evening love, how are you?_

**Hey. I'm exhausted, and you? And how come you're still awake? Isn't it like past midnight in Dublin?**

_I'm good, thanks. Aye, can't sleep. What has you so tired? Busy being a savior again?_

She can't help the small smile that stretches her lips at his words. She at least can't fault him for not appreciating her work.

**Kind of. Children were taken hostage today. Almost the entire BPD was on the scene.**

_Bloody hell. No children were harmed, I hope?_

**Thank god no. But we weren't sure until the man released them.**

_You saved the day again, love._

**I can't exactly take the credit for that, I only tended to the children when they were released.**

_I'm sure you're a bloody hero in those children's eyes, love._

She can't help the blush rising to her cheeks at his words.

**Thanks, Killian.**

She has time to finish her dinner and make herself some hot chocolate before Killian's next text comes in.

_I miss you._

She presses her lips in a thin line at his words. She's really not in the mood for this. But apparently, she doesn't have much of a choice.

**Do you have a Skype account?**

_Aye. Why?_

**Because I think we need to discuss this face to face (in a manner of speaking).**

_Okay. My screen name is KJones._

**Mine is UglyDuckling. Sending the invite.**

She closes WhatsApp and pulls up Skype, then enters his screen name in the "search" toolbar. He accepts her invitation right away, so she taps the video call. He accepts the call after two rings.

When she sees his face appear on her screen, she can't control the warm feeling spreading through her. She won't admit it to him, but she misses him too. But she needs to keep a straight face and make things clear with him.

Despite the shadows on his side, she notices his face light up slightly when he sees her appear on his screen.

She hates herself even more for what she is about to do.

" _Hello love,_ " he says with a grin.

"As amazing as what happened between us in Mexico was, I don't know if it's real," Emma says softly, honestly, avoiding his greeting.

" _Why wouldn't it be real, love?_ " he asks with what she thinks is fear in his voice.

"Why would it be?" She asks back. "For all I know, I was just another addition to your list of conquests from down there."

" _Conquests?_ " he says, sounding insulted. " _Emma, what are you talking about? What happened with you, never happened with any other woman while I was working in Mexico. I have not felt such attraction to anyone before you._ "

She wants to believe him. She truly does. But there is still this distance. This godforsaken physical distance between them that weighs heavily on her mind.

"What if that's all there is between us? Attraction?"

He sighs. " _Then give me a chance to prove myself to you, Emma. Allow me to show you that there is not only attraction between us_ ," he replies softly.

"How?" she asks skeptically. "I need more than texting and skyping, Killian. The long distance destroyed my relationship with Neal. I'm done with long distance relationships."

" _If you give me a chance, Emma, we'll figure it all out. Together,_ " he says, she notes, with slight desperation in his tone.

"All I have to offer is my friendship. I would have hoped it would have been enough for you. I'm sorry, Killian," is all she says before she clicks to end the Skype video call.

She instantly feels the void in her heart.

Breaking up with Neal has definitely not left her without a scar, but, as much as she wants to deny it, her connection with Killian runs even deeper, so it hurts even more.

She just can't take a chance on another long distance relationship. She wouldn't be able to handle it if it fails.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me... Review? :o)


	17. Trece - KPOV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, happy Sunday! I apologize for not updating last weekend, it became quite busy. To make up for that, I am giving you 2 chapters today. I hope you enjoy them.
> 
> Disclaimer: OUAT and everything related are not mine.

**Chapter 13A**

_End of Video Call._

What. The bloody hell. Just happened? He had thought that her wanting to discuss "face to face" meant she was ready to open up to him, to let him in. But apparently he was sorely mistaken.

And it hurts.

She clearly doesn't trust him, what with how she thinks she is only a conquest to him. He wishes he could find the words to make her trust him, make her understand she is so much more than a conquest.

His love for Milah had run deep, so much that her betrayal had left him feeling hollow. Cold, crippled, shallow… He'd felt like a discarded object.

Like himself, Milah was adventurous. She loved to leave on impromptu trips, to improvise. She was spontaneous, and that's what made him fall in love with her.

However, as stormy and passionate as she was, she was never a good listener. After Liam's passing, she often told him to just get over it already and follow her wherever she was in the mood to go at the time.

This is where she and Emma are complete opposites. Emma is reassuring. She actually listens to him. At least, that's the impression he got when he told her about his brother's accident on her last night in Mexico. She listened, and never judged him. He can't say the same about Milah.

It is not long after that event that she broke up with him.

He feels despair starting to creep up his spine, trying to take over his emotions, trying to make him fall back. But then he thinks of the most recent events in his life. He's come too far. It's time that he holds himself up, that he learns to love his scars. It's time to gain back control over his life, to stop drowning in his pain. It's time for him to finally let Milah go and move on.

It is also time to stop letting the guilt over his brother's death submerge him, and start remembering the good times. There are so many, they should easily be winning over the guilt. But as he wanders around the house he and Liam once shared, it's easier said than done. Everything is as Liam left it when he left the house to the airport, with the addition of a thick layer of dust on every surface imaginable.

After several days of cleaning and sorting, Killian feels like a weight has been lifted off of his shoulders. His emotions were in overdrive during the entire process. He laughed at some pictures he found of him and his brother on some of the trips they went on together. He shed some tears when he found his brother's uniform neatly folded on his bed, ready to be worn. He cried as he packed Liam's possessions and tucked them away in the attic, not ready to part with them. He felt panic when he finally found the half-finished drawing of his ship, as he thought he didn't have anyone anymore to share his passion with.

As he sits alone on the leather couch in the dark, silent living room, he doesn't know where to go from here. The house doesn't feel like a home anymore, not with Liam's absence.

His brother, over time, had managed to make him forget they had been abandoned by their father by endorsing the role and never complaining about it. He would have made a wonderful father; Killian has no doubt about it. But he was robbed of that chance.

Rubbing at his face to try and erase the weariness, he hears a knock at the door, so he stands. He finds Robin on the other side.

"Hey mate," he greets his friend, slightly questioning.

"That's all you have to say?" Robin asks, ignoring his greeting and pushing his way inside.

"I don't understand," Killian answers, perplexed, while closing the door.

Robin furrows his eyebrows. "It has been a week since you have been back here, mate, and I haven't gotten so much as a text from you. Is everything alright?"

A week? Killian's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "A week?" he repeats his thought out loud.

Robin only nods.

"I'm sorry, I must have lost track of time," he adds sheepishly.

The concern suddenly crossing his friend's features destabilizes Killian for a moment. It has been so long since he's had anyone to truly care for him; he'd forgotten what it was like. Robin had always been like a brother to him, he'd missed him while he was away in the Americas.

Robin observes him for a moment, and Killian progressively becomes uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

"You don't seem well, mate," Robin says just as Killian was about to say something. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Killian reaches up and scratches behind his ear. It's not that he doesn't want to confide in his friend, but…

_But what? Why am I holding back?_

He feels the need to open up about this situation with Emma, but he'd promised to keep things only between them for some time… then again, he'd never outwardly made that promise to her. It was his decision.

He signals to Robin to follow him and they walk into the living room. They sit opposite each other on the sofa.

"What's going on, Killian?" Robin asks after a moment of silence.

"Well mate, first, I spent the last few days going through Liam's possessions."

"Oh, I apologize. That couldn't have been easy," Robin says regretfully.

"Indeed. I've stored everything in the attic for now. I can't bring myself to do more," Killian explains quietly.

"I understand. One step at a time," his friend replies softly.

Killian nods.

"Has anything else happened?" Robin inquires when Killian doesn't speak again for a while.

Killian nods hesitantly in answer to his friend's question.

"Do you wish to talk about it?" Robin asks when Killian remains silent.

"It's not that I don't want to talk about it," Killian answers after thinking over his words. "It's more if I can talk about it."

"What do you mean?"

Killian sighs, looking up at the ceiling in hopes of finding answers there. Obviously, there are none. He only hopes that Emma, if she ever finds out, won't be upset with him for talking about her with his best friend. Surely she can understand he needs a friend's opinion on their situation.

"You remember I told you about this lass, Emma?" Killian hesitantly offers.

"Aye," Robin nods. "Though you didn't say much."

"I know. I met her while I was in Mexico. She was on vacation at the resort where I was working," Killian explains, looking out the window.

"Oh no, Killian, please tell me you didn't," Robin says after a moment of silence. Killian hears disappointment in his friend's voice.

"What?" he replies defensively, not sure what his friend is referring to.

"You're falling for her," Robin states, observing him.

Is that what it is? This emptiness he is constantly feeling at her absence?

"Where is she from?" Robin asks, although Killian fears he already knows the answer.

"Boston," he answers, standing up to pace the length of the room.

"Bloody hell," Robin hisses. "Let me guess, she likes your adventurous side?"

Killian stops dead in his pacing and whirls around to face his friend.

"No!" he exclaims. "She's nothing like Milah, if that's what you're insinuating!"

"It seems to me like the story is repeating itself, mate," Robin says pointedly.

"You don't know her," Killian sneers. "She's stubborn and passionate, yes, but she's also soft and reassuring. I told her about Liam's accident, and she actually listened to me. She's the one who convinced me it wasn't my fault."

He resumes his pacing of the room, lost in his thoughts. How can Robin not see that Emma is not Milah? Emma is precious, and good, and… _Oh, bloody hell_. Robin is right: he is falling for Emma.

"Are you okay?" he hears Robin's voice break through his stormy thoughts.

Killian turns to face his friend.

"You're right, mate," he whispers, as if afraid that saying it out loud will provoke a storm or something.

He may not be too far from the truth.

Robin sighs loudly at his admission.

"I hope you know what you're doing," his friend says uneasily, pointing a finger in his direction.

"That's the thing, I don't know what to do," Killian stammers. "She's so upset right now. She just broke up with her boyfriend, and nothing I tell her seems to encourage her to trust me, to trust that I won't abandon her. She was in a long distance relationship, and…"

"What?" Robin bellows.

Killian winces.

"So you're telling me that she's just coming out of a long distance relationship and you're trying to convince her to get into another one? Are you crazy?"

"Probably," Killian mumbles, sitting back down on the sofa, completely lost.

"I hope she's worth it, Killian," Robin says with a hint of sadness. "I'd hate to see you heartbroken again. Milah really did a number on you, don't forget that."

"Aye," Killian nods.

His friend doesn't add anything else before leaving the house. In a fit of rage, Killian grabs a pillow and throws it across the room.

He is falling for a woman living across the ocean. Again. And this time, Killian doesn't know what to do. Emma doesn't seem to be able to even stand him at the moment, which saddens him more than he'd like. If only she were open to talk about it – them – maybe they could figure something out.

On the other hand, he doesn't wish to make her go through another bout of long distance. She does deserve more than that. She deserves to be properly courted by a man that is actually living in the same city as her, not thousands of miles away.

He needs to be smart the next time he talks to her.

He doesn't contact her over the next week, and she doesn't contact him either. But he's not upset about it, as it gives him time to think of what he's going to tell her. He wants to keep in touch with her, that's for sure. He only needs to determine how to convince her of his good intentions.

So while he ponders over what to tell Emma, he starts looking for work. He sends his resume to different architecture firms, but he also applies on anything that seems even remotely interesting to him, such as barman in pubs, as he needs an income. His brother's life insurance money won't last forever, and he can't borrow any more money from Robin. Having his friend pay for his plane ticket back to Ireland makes him feel bad enough.

When he's not emailing resumes or out to different pubs to hand out his resume in person, Killian spends his time tidying the house up some more and building a portfolio, to show any architecture firm that may be interested in meeting him.

About 10 days after Robin's visit, Killian's phone rings.

"Hello?" he greets after picking up.

" _Hello, may I please speak with Mr. Killian Jones, please?_ " a feminine voice asks at the other end of the line.

"Aye, this is he, how may I help you?"

" _Mr. Jones, my name is Ariel; I am the assistant of Isabel Greene at Neverland Architecture. Ms. Greene would be interested in meeting with you for an interview. Does tomorrow at 2 PM work for you?_ "

"Aye, absolutely," he stutters.

" _Fantastic. When you get to our offices, just give your name to the security desk, and they will help you. We'll see you tomorrow at 2 PM, Mr. Jones, have a good day,_ " Ariel concludes.

"Thank you," he quickly replies before he hears the dial tone.

Killian is stunned. Never did he expect that the first call he would get for an interview would be from an architecture firm, and certainly not Neverland Architecture, one of the biggest firms in the country.

And to add to his astonishment, the interview goes incredibly well, Ms. Greene – Tink, she allowed him to call her, since everyone does – seemed impressed with his portfolio. She offers him an assistant position first, as he needs to prove himself first. Killian accepts, hopefully without showing his excitement too much.

When he gets back to the house, his first reflex is to pull out his phone and text Emma, but he hesitates once he has pulled up her contact information. Then again, this is good news and not related in any way to their situation, so he decides to try.

_Hello love, how are you? You won't believe what happened today._

Not expecting an immediate answer, he puts his phone down on the kitchen counter while he goes up to his room to change into more comfortable clothes. He hears his phone chirp when he is coming back down the stairs. He is surprised, once again, when he sees that it is Emma that replied to his message.

**Hello Killian. I'm fine, and how are you? What happened? Are you okay?**

She is concerned for him, so there must be still hope, he muses.

_I'm delighted. Don't worry love, I'm more than okay. I had a job interview today._

**If you are more than okay and that you had a job interview, I'm gathering that the interview went well?**

_Aye. They even offered me a position._

Her reply takes a few minutes to come, so he starts pacing the kitchen he is so nervous about her reaction.

**Wow! Killian, that's great! What's the job?**

He releases a breath he hadn't noticed he was holding. Of course she'd be happy for him.

_I'll be an assistant in one of the biggest architecture firms of Ireland, love. It's not much, but at least it's something. I start this Monday._

**Really? Killian, I'm so happy for you!**

_Thank you love, it means a lot._

**Why?**

He takes a deep breath and types.

_You know, I have been thinking about our last conversation._

**What of it?**

Even through the screen, he can sense her uneasiness.

_You said that all you had to offer was your friendship. I felt good with you when we were in Mexico, and I know you felt it too. And I know you're afraid. But you're not the only one, love. I am terrified too. I don't want to lose you, Emma, so if friendship is all you have to offer, I'll take it. I want you in my life, so if this is the only way, I'll gladly accept._

Again, it takes a while before her answer comes. He has time to start on dinner. His phone chirps with a new message as he is mixing different ingredients for his sauce.

**Thank you, Killian. I want you in my life too. Friendship is indeed all I have to offer, I'm really glad you are respecting that.**

Killian sighs in relief.

_Marvelous! Forgive the abrupt change of topic love, but aren't you working?_

**Hum…no. I took a sick day. I caught a nasty cold, in the middle of summer, go figure.**

_Bloody hell. I hope you will feel better soon. I'll let you rest, then._

**Thanks. Talk to you later, Killian.**

_Aye, talk to you later, Emma, take care._

He can't hold back a fist pump he is so happy that he succeeded in mending things with Emma. He can only hope now that he will eventually convince her to give them a chance.

Killian Jones is a very patient man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review? :o)


	18. Quatorce

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here is the second chapter for today!
> 
> Disclaimer: still nothing is mine.

**Chapter 14**

A FEW MONTHS LATER

Summer ends and fall begins. As the Boston landscape changes from green to different shades of yellow, red and orange, Emma finds that for once, she doesn't quite dread the fall and winter as much as before. Indeed, as time passes by, she is getting more and more at peace with the demise of her relationship with Neal. Before, she associated the end of summer with cold and loneliness. Now, not so much. For once, she sees the fall landscape as something beautiful. Just like Mother Nature, she is moving on to a new season of her life. For once, she feels secure in her situation. She has a job she loves; she has friends that accept her for who she is: Mary Margaret, Ruby, Belle…

Killian. The beginning of their friendship was rocky at best, but she couldn't imagine her life without him in it anymore. He has been nothing but patient, letting her set the pace of their friendship. She feels like she can trust him more and more.

She sometimes tells him bits and pieces about her childhood and he, in turn, tells her about his. It's not all happy, for either of them, but he doesn't judge her for it, just like she doesn't judge him. That past led them to where they are now. Of course, sometimes she wishes she had grown up differently, but would she really be happier?

Killian is also the one she turns to when she feels like her other friends don't quite understand her, because for some reason, she feels like he understands her better than everyone else.

-K&E-

It's a chilly Wednesday night in late October. Emma has just gotten home from work. She sets up the Chinese take-out on the coffee table before going to her bedroom to change into more comfortable clothes. Once that is done, she goes to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine before making her way to the couch and digging into her dinner.

As she chews on some noodles, she pulls up Netflix on her TV and selects a random movie she had put in her queue. Once she has put away the trash, she finds that she's not quite able to focus on the movie, so she grabs her phone and opens her Facebook application and browses her news feed with a distracted eye, when a seemingly random picture makes her stop short. It is a picture of Neal, smiling down at a woman. The woman is smiling right back at him. They are posing in a quite intimate embrace, their arms around each other. She scrolls down to the comments, and there are dozens of "congratulations" and "best wishes".

Emma's first reflex is to wonder how this picture made it on her feed, when she's not even friends with Neal on Facebook in the first place. That's when she notices that Greg Mendell commented on the picture to congratulate them for their engagement. Apparently, Greg is a mutual friend of hers and Neal, and he seems to have forgotten all about her. Not that she's ever really liked the guy anyway, but that's beside the point.

Then her thoughts turn to the fact that she's never seen Neal smile at her like that. Ever. And then it dawns on her: he's engaged. Barely a few months after she broke up with him.

Her heartbeat accelerates. She feels herself starting to hyperventilate. Closing the Facebook application and putting her phone down on the coffee table, she drops her head between her raised knees, taking deep breaths. After a few minutes, she manages to calm down.

Feeling exhausted, she turns everything off and goes to bed. She sleeps relatively well and feels fresh enough in the morning to go to work. However, the more the day goes by, the less she is able to focus. She just can't erase the picture of Neal and that woman and the news of their engagement from her memory. It's a good thing she's on desk duty that day, she thinks, because she would be completely useless on patrol.

Emma is normally good at compartmentalizing, at separating her personal life from her professional life, but that day, she just can't. It's just too heavy, it takes too much space in her mind to push it to the backburner and get back to it later.

When 5 PM finally rolls around, she is quick to head to the changing room, pick up her belongings and make her way to her car. As she drives, she feels her heart constricting, her vision blurs from the tears she is holding back. She lets a few escape in order to clear her vision enough to get back to her apartment safely. Once she is inside, she locks the door, and then slumps to the floor, unable to take a step further.

Pain, emptiness, confusion, anger. She can't speak, can't breathe. Why? Why did she do this? Why did she look at that picture? All she got is pain. Excruciating, blinding pain. Curiosity got the better of her. Guilt then adds itself to the mix. It all mixes together, like a spider's web, and she is the fly that trapped itself into it.

She is so angry. Angry at herself, for making herself go through this again. As if she hasn't suffered enough from everything he has put her through. She'd thought she was doing well, that she was ready to move on. Has she been wrong all along?

Starting to hyperventilate again, she puts her forehead to her raised knee, closes her eyes and tries to take deep breaths to calm down.

Suddenly, her phone beeps with a new WhatsApp message alert. Reaching into her purse, she pulls her phone out and checks who the sender is. Breathing out a shaky sigh, she unlocks her screen and pulls up WhatsApp.

_Hello love, how are you today?_

**Hi Killian. I'm… not so good. And you?**

_What's going on? Is there anything I can do to help?_

She can feel the concern in his words, and it helps her calm down some more.

**Skype?**

_Sure, I'll be right there._

She switches to the Skype application and once she sees he is online, she calls him. He picks up immediately. She gives a sad smile once she sees him appear on her screen.

" _Emma, love, what happened?_ " he asks softly.

She sniffles, but doesn't say anything. She doesn't know where to start. She's so confused.

" _Talk to me love_ ," he encourages a moment later. " _You know I'm here for you_."

She nods. "I know," she manages to croak out before she feels her throat constrict again.

She opens her mouth to speak again, but nothing comes out, and she starts to hyperventilate again.

" _Okay. Emma, listen to me,"_ she hears Killian say softly but firmly. " _I want you to take deep breaths, alright? Don't try to speak, just listen to my voice and take deep breaths_." She nods and does as he says. " _That's it. Breathe in, breathe out. That's it, love. You can do it._ "

It takes a few more minutes for her to gain back control over her breathing. She forgets about Killian for a moment, putting her phone down on the ground and rubbing at her eyes with both hands. It takes her another while to gather her bearings and feel calm enough that she doesn't think she'll freak out again.

" _Okay love?_ " she hears from the floor beside her.

Oh, right, Killian.

"Better, thanks," she replies after picking back up her phone, nodding, her voice heavy with emotions.

" _I don't want to push, love, but will you tell me what happened?_ " he asks, clearly concerned.

Emma sighs deeply and closes her eyes for a moment, trying to find the words.

"I saw a picture of Neal, yesterday, with… another woman," she starts, her throat slightly constricting on the two last words. "They were in a quite intimate embrace. Apparently, they just got engaged."

" _Oh, bloody hell,_ " he thunders.

She sniffs. "I feel so stupid," she blurts out.

" _Why?_ " he asks.

"Because… because I stopped to look at the picture. Because I was curious…"

" _Emma, love, you have no reason to feel stupid_ ," he interrupts her.

She shrugs.

"How can he be engaged to another woman already?" she asks incredulously after a moment of silence. "Has he been cheating on me?"

" _I have no idea, love_ ," Killian replies softly.

Her question was only rhetorical, but she feels a strange sense of comfort at his answer.

" _But, if you'll allow me,_ " he continues hesitantly, " _maybe he was waiting for you to realize that your relationship was over_."

She ponders over his words for a moment.

"It makes sense," she comments. "But then, why did he say he was going to break up with me anyway after I actually did it?"

" _Bloody…_ " he hisses, but stops himself. " _I think it was only to feel the satisfaction that he had the last word in,_ " he speaks in a controlled voice. " _Some of us don't take well to get dumped by a woman._ "

"It doesn't make sense, Killian. If he was waiting for me to realize that the relationship was over, then why didn't he do the breaking up himself?"

" _I don't bloody know, Emma,_ " he grounds out with a sigh, scratching behind his ear. " _Maybe he was still considerate enough to let you do the break up so that you would hurt less. But then again, this picture doesn't show much consideration. He had to know you would see it at some point._ "

Emma sighs, frustrated.

" _I know you're confused, Emma_ ," she hears Killian speak softly.

How he can read her so easily is beyond her.

" _But it won't do you any good to ask yourself all of these questions. I spent years doing that and look where that got me. Put this behind you and move on_."

"I know, Killian, but it hurts," she replies, her voice cracking.

" _Believe me, I know it does. I know it will take time, but promise me to at least try_ ," he says earnestly.

It takes her a moment, but she ends up nodding. When she looks at him on her screen, he gives her a soft, reassuring smile. She can't help the pull at her lips that forms into a small smile of her own.

Then something in his words from earlier nags at her mind, something about him spending years asking himself questions…

"Killian?" she asks slightly hesitantly.

" _Yes?_ "

She licks at her suddenly dry lips, nervous. "What did you mean earlier, when you said you spent years asking yourself questions?"

He sighs and rubs at his face.

" _I met Milah during my last year in university. She was an exchange student from Canada_ ," he starts.

She's not sure where he is going with this, so she lets him talk.

" _She's a bright lass, had high ambitions. Apparently, she fell for me. We travelled a lot together whenever we could, in between classes, exams and work. I guess that's what she liked about me. Shortly before my graduation, she started talking about going back to Canada, about what we could do there together. I was a man in love, willing to follow her anywhere, so I agreed. When I told Liam about my plans, he tried to talk me out of it. But I refused to listen and went through with my plan. I barely spoke to Liam while I was in Canada, because every time we talked, he would always try to convince me to come back to Ireland, that Milah was no good. And then 2 years had passed, and I got a phone call from the Dublin police informing me of my brother's passing. Milah let me mourn him for a while, but she grew restless and impatient. First thing I know she leaves me, saying I am no longer the man she fell in love with. And then barely a month later, I see her across the street with another man being awfully intimate. A few days later, I had packed all of my belongings into my car and started driving. I don't know how long it took, but I drove from Canada to Mexico. The car broke down in the Cancun suburbs, on the road leading to Riviera Maya. I barely had any money left by then, not enough to pay for the necessary repairs, so I decided to get a job there. But then to work there, I needed a work permit, for which money was required too. So I sold the car to get the permit. It took a while, I was practically homeless by then, but I finally landed the job at the Bahia Principe._ "

He pauses, seemingly to gather his bearings. Emma assumes he wasn't expecting to tell her all of this today, so she remains silent to let him end his tale.

" _While I was on the road, I had the same questions running over and over in my mind, wondering what I did wrong. I changed my entire life for her, and she leaves me right after my brother's death, calling me bitter and boring. So Emma, I know what it is to ask yourself questions, to wonder about you self-worth, because I did just that, all the way from Canada to Mexico, and it continued while I was working there. I was stuck in this never ending circle for five bloody years, mostly because I didn't have anyone supporting me. You have people to help you through this, Emma: Mary Margaret, Ruby, Belle…_ "

"You," she interrupts him, earning a bashful smile and a scratch behind his ear.

" _Aye, me_ ," he replies. " _All you have to do is trust us and talk to us whenever you feel down_."

Emma ponders over his words. Killian has proven himself trustworthy so far, and so have her friends. Maybe it's time to let go of her past, start to let people in.

" _And Emma?_ " he calls out, waiting for her to look at him. " _If you ever need to get away from Boston, you are always welcome here_."

His invitation sparks something in her. This whole thing with Neal being engaged makes her want to run and never look back, but at the same time, she loves it in Boston. But she does feel the need to get away for some time. And she also feels a need to see Killian, spend some time with him. She misses him.

"I may just take you up on that," Emma says shyly.

" _Whenever you like, love_ ," he replies.

"Well… does 2 weeks from now work for you?" she asks.

She sees surprise on his features, but he quickly recovers.

" _I will have to confirm with my boss, but I'm sure I can work something out_ ," he replies with energy, clearly excited.

"Of course, I have to confirm with my own boss too. And if you have to work some while I'm there, it's okay; I can handle myself for a few hours."

" _Nonsense love, I won't let you fend for yourself. If I have to work, I'll convince my boss to let me work from home_."

"Killian…" she starts to protest.

" _Emma,_ " he interrupts her." _I wouldn't be a gentleman if I left you alone in a strange home while I work. It would be bad form_."

"Alright, alright. So I'll confirm with my boss tomorrow, and you do the same with yours?"

" _Aye_."

"Okay."

Silence falls over them for a moment.

"Thank you," she says barely audibly.

" _What was that, love? I didn't hear you._ "

She takes a deep breath. "Thank you," she repeats louder.

" _Whatever for?_ "

"For listening."

" _Anytime, love. That's what friends are for, aren't they?_ "

She gives him a small smile and nods.

" _Alright lass, it's getting late here. I need to catch some sleep. We'll speak again tomorrow?_ " he asks hopefully.

She nods. "Good night, Killian."

" _Good night, Emma._ "

And with a small wave, he disconnects their video call. Emma lets her head fall against the wall behind her and sighs, feeling slightly better.

It feels good to have a friend.

And the next day, when her boss gives her 2 weeks off, she can't help but feel excited at the prospect of seeing Killian again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review? :o)


	19. Quince

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the tardiness of this chapter, I don't really have any excuses... I hope the length makes up for the tardiness a little ;o) Soooooo this is the first part of Emma's stay in Ireland. Who's excited? *raises both hands* I hope you like it.
> 
> This story is not beta'ed, so all mistakes are my own. A huge shoutout to Dreamwalker1, wherever she is, for all of her help, once again.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT, Disney, etc.

**Chapter 15**

2 WEEKS LATER

Emma watches as the city slowly goes by from the backseat of David's truck. They are stuck in some traffic in downtown Boston on their way to the airport. Emma is glad she had everything ready the night before so they could leave several hours before her flight to London.

It takes another 45 minutes before they switch from a snail pace to a more normal speed.

In the past few months, she has gotten to know her best friend's boyfriend better, and he is becoming like a brother to her. She has learned that he works on the police force in Manchester; he likes to talk shop with her, sometimes to Mary Margaret's dismay. Lately, he has taken to asking questions about the inner workings of the Boston police department. She suspects he wants to eventually move to Boston and make sure he won't have too much of a hard time to get a job. She hasn't been able to pull him aside so far, so she can't confirm her suspicions.

When they finally get to the airport, to her surprise, David parks his truck and both he and Mary Margaret step out.

"You don't have to come with me inside, I can take care of myself," Emma tells them as David opens the truck bed to pull out her suitcase.

"We know that, Emma," Mary Margaret replies. "But we want to be here with you."

"It's no trouble at all," David adds.

Emma offers them a shy smile then turns to walk to the terminal. Mary Margaret falls in step with her and David follows them with Emma's suitcase.

Inside, the check-in line is quite long, and Emma is actually glad to have her friends there to pass the time while she waits for her turn. Once she has checked-in, they slowly walk to the security line.

"Enjoy Ireland, Emma," Mary Margaret says as both women hug. "And please check in with us from time to time?"

"Yes mom," Emma laughs lightly before moving to David.

"Be careful," he instructs as they hug.

"David…" Emma starts to protest.

"I know, I know," he quickly interrupts. "Sorry. Enjoy your time, enjoy Ireland, and tell Killian hello for us, and that if he hurts you, I'll be on the first flight to beat his ass."

"David!" Mary Margaret admonishes, slapping his arm.

As she pulls away from David, Emma can't help but think that they are acting like an old married couple. The thought makes her smile.

"Alright you two, I better get in line," she tells them, grabbing her carry-on from the floor. "I'll see you both in two weeks."

They nod; she hugs them again briefly, and then turns around to get in the security checkpoint line. When there are only a few persons left before her to drop their belongings on the conveyor belt, she turns around and is surprised to see her friends are still standing there. She waves at them with a smile and they wave back enthusiastically. She laughs at their silliness before stepping up to the trays.

She gets pulled aside for a more thorough search, but since the custom agent doesn't find anything suspicious in her belongings, she quickly lets her go.

After checking the screen to confirm her gate, she slowly starts to make her way there, as she still has a couple of hours to go before boarding. She stops at a few duty-free shops on the way, picking up something to eat and a couple of magazines to occupy her time. Once that's done, and not thinking of anything else that could help pass the time, she resumes her walk to her gate. She sits down, tearing into the sandwich she bought earlier and flipping through one of the magazines.

But she can barely concentrate. Anxiety suddenly invades her entire being, like a strong wave crashing against her. The sandwich suddenly tastes like sand in her mouth, so she puts it away to eat later. She realizes that she is travelling alone, to an unknown country, to meet with a guy she barely knows. Sure, Killian has proven to be trustworthy the last few months, but is he really going to be the same way once they are alone together? She doesn't really have any reasons to believe it was all a sham, but still… Her anxiety is speaking very loudly in her mind, preventing her from even moving.

She lets out a slight sigh of relief when boarding for her flight is called. It allows her to put her anxiety to the back burner for a while and concentrate on what is happening around her. The line moves slowly, but everything goes well. She has a window seat, and her seatmates give her a bit of a hard time to get to her seat, barely moving from their own to let her pass. Once she is seated, she takes a few deep breaths to calm down to avoid snapping at them.

Once the plane is up in the air, she tries to settle to catch some sleep, but the two ladies beside her just won't stop talking. She tries to drown out their voices by putting in her earbuds and playing some music from her phone, but it barely helps. These women have no respect, she thinks. Exhaustion ends up winning, so she manages to catch a few minutes of sleep here and there, but her anxiety, having picked up again full speed, stops her from really resting.

A ray of sunshine suddenly blinds her through her closed eyelids. She yawns and opens her eyes, noticing the sun rising outside her window. As she stretches a bit, she notices that the flight attendants are giving around breakfast trays. Her stomach rumbles at the sight, so she takes one when it is offered. She doesn't eat much, but she's at least happy she is able to take a few bites to settle her stomach before landing.

Shortly after the flight attendants have picked up the trash, the pilot informs them that there is a 30-minute wait before they can land. At these words, Emma looks outside and notices several planes flying in circles above what she believes to be the London Heathrow airport.

When the plane finally lands, she follows everyone out and to her surprise, she boards a bus on the tarmac. The bus then drives her and her fellow passengers to the terminal. With the amount of people walking around, it takes Emma a while to find her way to the gate that would help her get on a plane to Dublin, but she manages.

It is only once she sits down near the gate that she really appreciates how big the airport is – 5 terminals, geesh – and that her anxiety comes back with a vengeance. With trembling hands, she pulls out her phone from her carry-on and turns it on, hoping to distract herself at least a little before her next flight. She finds she has a message from Killian waiting once she is connected to the airport's Wi-Fi.

_Hello love, I hope your flights are going smoothly. I'll be the one with the dark hair ;o)_

She chuckles, and it helps her calm down a little.

**Hi Killian, I am at the London airport right now, waiting for my flight to Dublin. The flight between Boston and London went well, although I couldn't sleep much with the two harpies sitting beside me :o( See you soon**

Then she shoots off a quick email to her friends to assure them the first leg of her journey went well. Just as the first boarding call for her flight is called, her phone chirps with a new message, which she hurries to open before getting in line to board.

_Well I'll be sure to have a bed ready for you then, love. I hope your flight to Dublin will be more relaxing._

**Shouldn't it be ready already? I'm disappointed :oP I hope so too. Gotta go, boarding has been called. See you soon**

_Have a safe flight._

She can't help but smile giddily at their exchange, and it helps her relax even more. She turns her phone off again for the flight, and soon, the plane departs.

The flight is uneventful; she is even able to doze off for a while, only waking up when the plane touches down. She becomes nervous again the closer she gets to the plane door. She manages to control her anxiety through customs, but once she gets to the baggage claim, she starts to fidget, biting at her lower lip so much that it dries and starts to peel. As she rummages through her carry-on to find her lip balm, the carousel starts. The longer it takes for her suitcase to appear, the higher her anxiety goes. She is literally about to cry when she finally sees her bag turn the corner of the carousel, so she sighs in relief. She promptly lifts it up and makes her way to the exit.

She steps hesitantly into the arrivals area, looking around for Killian, seeing dark hair everywhere. She huffs lightly at that, now understanding the wink Killian had sent in his message. She can't find him in the crowd, so her anxiety goes up another notch, until she feels a tap on her shoulder and turns around.

"Killian!" she exclaims when she sees him.

"Hello love," he greets her with a large smile.

Before she realizes it, she throws herself in his arms for a fierce hug, which he returns.

"How was your flight?" he asks as they pull away from each other.

"Uneventful," she replies with a tired smile. "I was even able to sleep a little, but it was far from enough."

"Some people just don't have any respect," he comments.

She nods.

"Alright then love, I wouldn't want you to fall asleep right here. You look tired. Let's go," Killian adds as he grabs her suitcase and starts walking to the exit.

When she steps outside, Emma can immediately feel the difference in the air. There is a bite in the air, making it chillier, and a lot of wind. But the air feels slightly… cleaner, less polluted. And it somehow smells like freshly cut grass, despite being surrounded by concrete, cars and planes. She feels herself relax.

They are mostly silent as they walk, but Emma doesn't mind it. It allows her to imbibe herself with the Irish atmosphere. Before she knows it, they have stopped beside a black sedan, and Killian swiftly deposits her suitcase in the trunk. She then makes her way to the right side of the car.

"Do you wish to drive, love?" he asks her, amused.

She looks at him confused, and then looks inside the car and laughs, noticing the wheel.

"Sorry," she says, still laughing and making her way to the other side of the car.

"No harm done," he chuckles as he opens his door to get in.

She quickly does the same and he slowly pulls out of the parking space and drives towards the exit.

"Is this your car?" she questions once they get to the highway.

"Sadly no," he replies. "This is Robin's car. He was gracious enough to let me borrow it to pick you up from the airport. I don't have enough money saved up yet to buy one myself. He even lets me borrow it from time to time when I need it."

"How do you go to work, then?"

"I either call for a taxi, or use a bike, depending on the weather. Traffic here is a nightmare, I am certainly not eager to throw myself into it with my own car."

Emma chuckles.

"I can understand," she comments. "Traffic in Boston is hell; it's a good thing I don't live too far from the precinct and that I don't need to go on the highway to get to work, or I'm sure I'd be one of the worst cases of road rage."

Killian laughs at that.

"You? Road rage?" he questions.

"Oh, you haven't seen me behind the wheel sometimes. I don't have much patience for the people who don't seem to know how to drive."

He laughs again. "Well, I hope my driving isn't too bad so far."

"You don't hear me complaining."

They become silent after that, Emma looking at the city passing by. But the first thing she knows, she is being shaken awake lightly.

"Emma?" she hears a masculine voice call. "Emma, wake up, we're here."

She blinks sleepily and squints to make out her surroundings, her eyes falling on Killian.

"Hey," she says as she sits up. "Sorry for falling asleep on you like that."

"No problem love, I knew you were tired. Come on inside, we'll be more comfortable."

She nods and stretches lightly. He is pulling her suitcase from the trunk of the car as she is stepping out, and then leads her to the front door of a 2-stories brick house. There is a large bay-window to the left of the door, and a smaller one on the second floor. The brick is brown and looks old, but it feels like home. She smiles at the sight before following Killian inside the door.

"Would you like a tour of the house?" Killian asks as he closes the door.

"Actually," Emma responds sheepishly, "I'd really like to sleep right now, if you don't mind."

"No problem lass, let me show you to your room," Killian says before lifting her suitcase and going up the stairs.

Emma follows slowly, trying to commit to memory the few details of the house she sees on her way, but she is so tired she can barely concentrate. On the second floor, Killian makes a left then pushes open the first door on the right.

"Ladies first," he says with a motion of his arm for her to go inside.

She gives him a small smile before entering the room. The first thing Emma notices is the large bed in the middle of the opposite wall. It has a simple grey linen frame and lies on the dark wooden floor. The bedding is white, bordered with a subtle black line. Killian pushes past her and puts her suitcase on the black bench situated at the foot of the bed.

"Here you go love, get some rest now, and I'll see you later," he tells her before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Emma takes a deep breath before stepping to her suitcase and opening it to pull out her pyjama. She promptly changes then pulls the comforter and sheet high enough to slip under. She doesn't feel her head hit the pillow.

She wakes what feels like barely a few minutes later, but she notices the light coming from outside is fainter. Emma stretches before slowly getting out of bed and makes her way to the window. She notices it's a bay window and smiles. She hadn't dared hope the guest bedroom would be the one with the bay window on the second floor. Feeling a chill, she grabs a sweater from her suitcase before going for the door. She opens it slowly, trying to listen for any sign of Killian, but hears nothing. Taking a step out of the room, she looks to her right and finds an open door. She advances slowly towards the opening, letting her eyes adapt to the dim light in the room, and notices Killian sitting on a stool at a drawing table right in front of the window.

"Hey," she calls out quietly.

"Hello love," Killian responds after turning around with a large smile.

"What are you working on?" she asks as she takes a few steps inside the room.

He doesn't respond, only keeps smiling and signals for her to come closer. He stands from his stool to give her more space, and she makes out the outline of a sailboat the closer she gets.

"Is that…?" she asks excitedly as she quickly closes the distance to the table.

"Aye," Killian responds, scratching behind his ear.

"So you found it?" she asks as she examines the drawing in front of her.

"It wasn't that hard to find," he laughs quietly, "Liam had put it in a protecting tube and left it on this table."

She looks up to him and gives him a sad smile.

"He had hope you would come back," she says quietly.

"Probably," he responds just as quietly, looking away from her.

She reaches for his hands and gives them a quick squeeze. He squeezes back before she lets go.

"Robin called earlier," Killian says after a moment of silence. "We are invited for dinner tomorrow, if you feel up to it."

She nods. "Sure," she says. "I'd like to meet him."

"Brilliant," he exclaims. "Regina, his fiancée, and his son Roland will be there too."

"Of course," she nods.

"Alright, I'll call him back to confirm. Are you hungry?"

She feels a rumble in her stomach just as he asks the question, so she immediately nods.

"What would you like to eat?" he asks as he starts for the door.

"Anything is fine, really," she says dismissively.

He stops in his tracks and turns to her with a playfully reproachful look.

"Emma, you are my guest. If you feel like eating something in particular, tell me, and I'll see what I can do."

She looks at him for a moment, not moving.

"Pizza?" she finally says questioningly.

Killian grins. "Pizza it is."

She follows him down the stairs and to the back of the house, where she assumes the kitchen is situated. She finds pale grey cabinets and wooden shelves, stainless steel appliances, and a square island in the middle. Black tile covers the floor, and there is a 4-places, black booth to her right, right under a window, as she walks by. The walls are painted white. There are only 2 rather small windows in the room, but the room still looks like it is bathed in light despite the late hour. As she takes a seat at the island, she notices a door to her left, which she assumes leads to the backyard.

"So what do you feel like, love? Four different types of cheese, or meat?" Killian asks from the fridge, holding up two boxes.

"Meat, please," she responds.

He nods before placing one of the boxes back into the freezer, then walks to the oven and starts it before opening the box of the pizza she chose. He quickly puts it in the oven to cook before turning his attention back on her.

"Would you like a tour of the house while it cooks?" he offers, putting his hands in his jeans pockets.

"Sure," she responds, standing up eagerly.

Killian takes a few steps away before stopping in front of the booth.

"Liam bought this booth for barely anything in an auction and restored it to put it here," he explains.

"He restored it?" she asks, stunned.

Killian nods.

"It certainly doesn't look like it. I love it," she adds with a small smile.

He grins but doesn't say anything before pointing to a door behind the booth.

"There is the pantry. If you can't find something in the cabinets, you can find it in there," he informs her before walking away. "You are more than welcome to help yourself, love. And if there's something missing, let me know."

She nods and follows him to the first door on the right.

"This is the dining room," he informs her as he pushes the door open and walks inside.

She feels like she is entering an Irish pub: the walls are covered in old, brown brick wallpaper, and a large wooden table occupies the center of the room. Two benches on each side and two grey tweed chairs at both ends complete the look.

"Cozy," Emma comments with a smile, turning to Killian.

"Aye," he responds with a grin. "The double doors over there," he adds, pointing at the other end of the room, "lead to the backyard, and these," he says, turning to a set of double doors behind them she hadn't noticed before, "lead to the living room."

He pulls them open and walks in the next room. The first thing she notices is the coffered ceiling. The beams are made of dark cherry wood, and the rest is painted white.

_Whoa_ , is all she can think to describe what she is seeing. She hears Killian chuckle.

"Did I think that out loud?" she asks as she looks at him.

He nods. "It is rather impressive," he comments, looking up. "Liam built it himself. If he hadn't been in the Navy, he would have been a fine carpenter."

"Did he renovate the whole house by himself?"

"Aye. I helped some for the kitchen before I left for Canada, but everything else he more or less did himself. I believe Robin has helped some."

Emma nods, looking around at the rest of the room. The wall to her right is made of the same dark cherry wood as the beams above her. A fireplace takes up the middle of the wall, bordered with white marble. A TV screen is hanging above it, and built-in shelves full of books fill the space on both sides. Then in front of her, she finds the bay window she had noticed when they arrived. She smiles at the built-in bench, thinking of how good it would be to drink her morning coffee there every morning. But just as quickly dismisses the thought, shaking her head. To her left, the wall opens on the hall and the stairs leading to the second floor. The walls of the room are white and mostly bare.

She nods and smiles, looking around the room again, loving the warmth spreading through her. The first word that comes to her mind when it comes to this room is comfort. All she wants is to curl up on the couch in front of a roaring fire.

"Got your stamp of approval, love?" Killian teases.

She flushes lightly. "Uhm, yeah. I like the bay window."

He nods. "Aye. It would be even better facing the sea."

"Indeed," she smiles.

As they are about to step out of the room, a shrilly sound comes from the kitchen.

"That would be our dinner," Killian announces as he makes his way to the kitchen.

Emma follows him.

"Would you mind setting the table, love?" Killian asks before she can start feeling awkward.

She grabs place mats, plates and glasses from the shelves and places them on the booth table. Killian follows her and carefully places the pizza on the table.

"What would you like to drink?" he asks her as he walks to the fridge.

"Beer?" she questions.

"Of course."

He grabs two bottles and walks back to her after opening them. He motions for her to sit.

"Let's eat," he says before taking a sip from his beer.

They eat in silence for a while. Emma feels slightly uneasy. She would have done almost anything to be alone with him when they were in Mexico, but now that she was alone with him, she doesn't quite know how to act. It can't be that hard to be friends with him in person, can it? She felt so comfortable in her friendship with him when they were exchanging messages on Whatsapp and videocalling each other. What's so different now?

"Is there something bothering you, love?" Killian asks softly.

She bites on her lower lip and picks at her food, not sure how to respond.

"Emma?" he gently prompts her.

She chuckles nervously. "Sorry, I just…" she trails off.

"Feel uneasy?" he finishes for her when she doesn't add anything else.

She nods quickly, though slightly confused as to how he understands how she feels so easily.

"Believe me, I know how you feel," he continues.

"What? How?"

He chuckles and scratches behind his ear. It hits her then that it's a nervous habit. He's nervous too, she realizes.

"I feel the same," he confirms her thoughts. "And I'm terrified I will mess something up. I want you to enjoy your time here."

Some of her awkwardness lifts off of her shoulders.

"You look so calm," she comments before taking a bite of pizza.

He chuckles again. "Believe me love; I am a nervous wreck inside."

She giggles and bites at her pizza again. From there, the uneasiness quickly fades away as they talk about work and their respective lives in Boston and Dublin. After dinner, they move to the living room. Killian lights up a fire and pops in a movie for them to watch. When the credits roll, she stretches and turns to Killian, finding him sound asleep at the other end of the couch. Oops, she thinks before letting out a giggle. Standing up, she turns off the TV then grabs the afghan from the back of the couch, covering him with it. She doesn't dare waking him, he looks so peaceful. Her hand reaches out to his hair of its own accord. She retracts it before it makes contact, and quickly retreats upstairs to her room.

The next morning, Emma makes her way downstairs and peeks into the living room: Killian is still asleep on the couch, lying on his back and snoring softly. She tiptoes quietly to the kitchen and silently looks around for some coffee. Once she has fixed herself a cup, she takes a seat at the booth and gets lost in thoughts while looking out the window.

"Good morning," she hears Killian greet her sometime later.

"Morning," she greets back quietly.

"Sorry for falling asleep like that last night," he tells her while pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"It's okay, you must have been tired," she replies softly.

"Aye," he agrees, taking the seat in front of hers.

"So, what's the plan?" she asks him after a moment of silence.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what's the plan for while I'm here? I left you in charge of the planning, remember?"

"Oh, apologies, lass. Well, I was thinking that we could leave tomorrow for Cashel, there are ruins of a castle there I think you would enjoy. It is also a charming town. We will spend the night there, and in the morning, we will drive to the cliffs of Moher."

"Cliffs?" Emma asks skeptically.

"Aye," he answers with a smirk and a wink. "Cliffs. You haven't seen cliffs quite like these before, trust me."

"Alright," Emma agrees somewhat reluctantly.

"We will spend the night in Doolin, a small town not too far from the cliffs. Then from Doolin, we will drive to the Connemara National Park. Do you like hiking, love?"

"Can't say I do as I've never done that before," she replies.

"There's a first time for everything," he winks. "After the park, we will spend the night in Galway, and drive back to Dublin from there. If you wish to spend some time in Galway before we drive back, all you have to do is ask."

"Okay," is all she says as she ponders over his plan.

Despite her skepticism about the cliffs, she feels excited about what Killian has planned. Those cliffs must be worth the detour if he has planned to make a stop there.

"Are you alright, love?" Killian suddenly asks.

"Yes, why?" she frowns slightly.

"You seemed lost in thought."

It's his turn to frown.

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking over your plan."

"And?" he prompts.

She smiles. "I'm actually excited."

His lips stretch into a large smile. "Brilliant! I can't wait to show you."

She finds that his enthusiasm is rubbing off on her and her smile widens.

"What do you feel like doing today?" he asks as he stands and goes back in the kitchen.

She follows him, dropping her mug in the sink.

"I don't know," she replies thoughtfully. "What are you doing?" she asks as she watches him rummage through the fridge.

"Making breakfast, love. Are you hungry?"

"Actually, yeah, I am," she replies when she feels her stomach rumble.

"Omelet?" he offers as he holds out a carton of eggs.

"Sounds good," she nods.

She watches him work around the kitchen in silence for a moment, thinking of how comfortable she feels with him now. He is so easy-going, always open to her opinion.

"So?" Killian's voice interrupts her line of thinking.

"I'm sorry?"

He chuckles. "You haven't answered me, lass. What do you feel like doing today?"

"Oh, well… I'll need to pack a bit for the few days we'll be gone. Oh, and I'll need a pair of hiking boots, won't I?"

"Aye. About that, Regina has agreed to lend you hers if they fit."

"Oh," Emma exclaims, surprised. "That's very nice of her."

"Aye," Killian agrees as he pours the battered eggs in a heated pan. "Don't tell her I said that, but I think she is looking forward to meeting you."

Emma chuckles. "Why?"

"She has been in Ireland for some time now and I believe she misses America a bit."

Emma nods, understanding the impression of not feeling quite at home despite being in the same place for a while. She has been living in Boston for years, but she still can't bring herself to call it home quite yet.

It is late afternoon when Emma and Killian leave for Robin and Regina's house. When they step out of the car, Killian takes a quick look around to make sure everything is clean and that he hasn't forgotten anything of his before they make their way to the front door and ring the doorbell.

The door opens slowly to reveal a little boy that can't be older than 5, Emma estimates.

"Hello there Roland," Killian greets after bending down to his level.

"Uncle Killy!" the boy exclaims before launching himself in Killian's arms.

Killian hugs him before putting him back down. Roland attempts to hide behind Killian's leg when he sees her.

"Who is that?" he asks shyly, pointing in her direction.

"Roland!" a man about their age calls out, approaching them. "What did I tell you about opening the door?"

"To wait for you or 'Gina," Roland answers sheepishly.

"That's right. And what happens when you don't follow papa's instructions?"

"No dessert after dinner and bed early."

At that, Killian bends to Roland's level and whispers something in his ear. The boy nods eagerly.

"What are you two plotting?" the man asks suspiciously.

Emma has to smile at that. She is sure Killian is up to no good.

"Hello Robin," Killian greets the man with a stupid smile, extending his hand to shake.

"Hello Killian," Robin greets back skeptically.

As soon as Robin lets go of his hand, Killian winks at her then runs inside with Roland. Emma chuckles at his antics.

"You must be Emma," Robin says as he turns his attention on her.

"Yes, Emma Swan," she introduces herself.

"Welcome to Ireland," he says warmly, offering his hand to shake.

Emma notes that his smile doesn't reach his eyes. She tries not to dwell on it.

"Thanks," she answers with a small smile, shaking his hand.

"I'm Robin Locksley," he introduces himself while making to walk back inside.

She follows him, unzipping her jacket.

"Nice to meet you, Robin. Killian has told me about you. You guys have been friends a long time, right?"

"Aye," Robin nods, taking her jacket and hanging it in the closet. "How do you like Ireland so far?"

"Well, I arrived only yesterday, so I haven't seen much of it yet, but I like what I've seen so far," she responds honestly.

Robin nods and opens his mouth to say something, when a woman with jet black hair approaches.

"Finally someone speaking American!" she exclaims joyously.

Emma flushes lightly, but laughs. Just then, Killian reappears, Roland nowhere in sight. Emma internally sighs in relief that he is back, as she doesn't quite enjoy being the center of attention.

"Hello Regina," Killian greets the woman before turning to her. "Emma, this is Robin's fiancée Regina," he introduces. "Regina, this is my friend Emma."

"Nice to meet you, Emma," Regina says warmly.

"You too," Emma answers slightly shyly.

"Well come on," Regina urges as she turns around. "Robin, can you get our guests some drinks while I check on dinner?"

"Of course," Robin answers as he gestures for them to follow him.

She takes a seat on the couch with Killian while Robin heads to the small bar in the corner. He is silent while he is serving, which unsettles Emma slightly. Killian had told her many good things about the man. She senses his standoffishness may have something to do with her, but she can't for the life of her figure out why.

"Are you alright?" Killian whispers.

She nods. "Later," she whispers back when he opens his mouth to protest.

He nods and turns to Robin as he is sitting down with his own drink. He tries to engage Robin in conversation, but it doesn't quite work. More and more, Emma believes that Robin has something against her and it leaves her perplexed. Fortunately, Regina soon joins them and pulls Emma in conversation. They even leave the men for a moment to go up to the master bedroom so that Emma can try on Regina's hiking boots to make sure they fit.

When they get back to the living room, Roland has joined Robin and Killian, his mouth covered in chocolate. Emma can't help but giggle at the sight.

"Roland!" Regina exclaims, grabbing a tissue to wipe at his mouth. "What did you do?"

The boy laughs. "It's uncle Killy!"

Regina only shakes her head in disbelief while Robin's eyes narrow in Killian's direction.

"What?" Killian asks innocently. "You told him no dessert _after_ dinner since he disobeyed. I just had him eat dessert _before_ dinner."

Robin doesn't comment, but slaps him upside the head. Emma giggles again.

"Oi! Mate! What's up your arse today?"

"Robin?" Regina questions.

"Apologies," Robin says, albeit reluctantly.

Emma, Regina and Killian frown.

"Dinner is almost ready," Regina announces. "Emma, will you come and help me?"

"Of course," Emma agrees immediately, wanting to escape the weird atmosphere.

As she and Regina leave the room, she hears Killian start to angrily whisper to Robin.

"I apologize for my fiancé's behaviour, Emma," Regina says as she pulls on oven mittens. "I don't know what's gotten into him. He's not usually like this."

"It's okay, I'm sure he has his reasons," Emma tries to dismiss.

"It is certainly not okay," Regina replies. "That's very out of character of him. He has been acting odd ever since he visited Killian a few weeks ago."

More and more, Emma believes that Robin's odd behaviour is because of her. But again, she doesn't know why. She doesn't tell Regina any of this though. The woman seems nice, but she doesn't know if she can trust her quite yet.

Together, they plate the lasagna Regina made for dinner and bring the dishes to the table. Killian goes to sit beside Emma, but Roland beats him to the chair.

"Hi," Roland says enthusiastically. "I am Roland."

"Hello Roland," Emma smiles. "I'm Emma. How old are you?"

"I am 4," the boy responds, raising 4 fingers at the same time.

"Wow, you're a big boy!"

Roland nods. "Can you help cut my lasagna p'ease?"

Emma takes a quick look at Killian across the table from her: he nods and smiles at her in encouragement. She smiles back and picks up Roland's utensils.

"'ank you Emma," the boy says once she is finished.

"You're very welcome," she answers, ruffling his hair lightly before picking up her own cutlery to start the meal.

They eat in silence for a while, when Emma feels Robin's eyes on her.

"So Emma, what is it that you do?" he asks before she can speak.

"Hum, you mean my job?" she asks.

He nods.

"I'm a police officer in the Boston Police Department."

Beside her, Roland gasps. "You work with police?" he asks incredulously.

Emma smiles and nods.

"So you catch pirates and t'ieves?"

Emma nods again. "Yes, lots and lots of bad people," she adds with a wink.

He gives her a large smile. "I want to be police too!"

"That's great! I'm sure you will be the best," Emma responds.

"Do you want to go up the ranks, Emma?" Robin asks as they continue their meal.

"Well, I'd like to," she responds. "I would like to become detective sometime in the future."

Robin nods. "Why did you come to Ireland?"

This feels strangely like an interrogation. She notices Killian is narrowing his eyes at his friend.

"I apologize, Robin," she says before Killian can speak. "But have I done something to offend you? I don't know you, and you don't know me. Killian has told me a lot of good things about you; I certainly was not expecting to be interrogated by you over dinner. If you are wondering as to what my intentions are towards Killian, we are friends. I'm in Ireland because I went through a rough patch recently. I needed to get away from Boston for a while, and Killian graciously offered me a place to stay if I wanted to visit Ireland. I'm here because I want to spend time with Killian, and if it helps get my mind off of things, then that's good too."

Robin seems to be stunned silent. When she looks at Killian, he gives her a thumb up. She gives him a small smile in response.

"Regina, your lasagna is delicious," she compliments.

"Thank you," Regina answers before resuming staring daggers at her fiancé.

"Emma, please accept my apologies," Robin says after a few moments of silence. "You are right, I don't know you. I was out of line."

Emma only nods. She must admit that she is hurt by Robin's quick judgement of her. While she understands where he may be coming from in his desire to protect Killian, she can't help but think that whatever happens between her and Killian is their business, and Robin has no say in it.

Around her, Killian engages Robin and Regina in another conversation, something about their wedding, but she tunes them out. She knows he's trying to give her time to process what just happened, and she's grateful. However, she feels awkward the rest of the evening. Killian excuses them soon after dessert, invoking the fact that they must leave quite early the next morning to start their little road trip. Emma thanks Regina again for the boots, and they leave. Robin was nice enough to let them borrow his car for a few more days for their trip.

She is silent throughout the ride back to Killian's house.

"Will you be alright?" Killian asks her as they enter the house.

"Yeah," she answers quietly. "I'm just a bit shocked. Did you tell him something about me that would have triggered this?"

"Nothing that I can think of, love," he replies.

She's not quite sure he is telling the truth, but decides to let it slide… for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review? :o)


	20. Diez y seis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I apologize for being late in updating once again, things are kinda super busy right now. But here we are! The second half of Emma's stay in Ireland. The places she and Killian go in this chapter are real, I did some research ;o)
> 
> A few things may seem cliché... but I'm not sorry lol. I think it serves the plot right.
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy it.
> 
> Disclaimer: still nothing is mine.

**Chapter 16**

The next morning, Emma wakes up with her alarm. She groans at the sound and reaches out to snooze, but her phone ends up flying to the floor instead. She huffs before getting out from under the sheets to get her phone. She turns off the alarm, then pads to her suitcase to retrieve her outfit for the day. After that she exits the room and goes to the bathroom for a shower.

Once she is ready and half human again, she makes her way downstairs to the kitchen. Killian is already there, making breakfast.

"Good morning love," he greets her before taking a sip of coffee.

"Morning," she mumbles, making a beeline for the coffee machine.

"Not a morning person, are you Swan?" he teases.

"Not really," she replies, and then takes a sip from her mug. "Hmm. At least, not until I've had some coffee." She takes a few more sips. "Swan?" she questions.

Killian looks at her sheepishly. "Do you mind?"

She thinks about it for a moment. Nobody has ever called her by her last name before.

"No, I don't mind," she answers. "I even like it," she adds with a small smile.

Killian smiles back before turning back to the stove. A few minutes later, he hands her a plate full of eggs and bacon. They each take a seat at the island and eat quickly.

"Is your bag ready?" Killian asks her after they are done washing the dishes.

"Yeah, I just need to grab my toiletries from the bathroom and I'll be ready to go," she nods as they exit the kitchen.

About 20 minutes later, they are driving away. It takes a while to get out of the city, as it is still early and the morning traffic hasn't let up yet.

It gives Emma the occasion to observe the everyday life, to see if there are many major differences between Ireland and the United States. But she doesn't notice much, being in a moving car and all.

The old buildings are very well conserved, Emma observes. It then reminds her that she doesn't know much of Ireland's history. She makes a mental note to ask Killian later. As for the few modern building she sees along the way, she thinks they mix in well with the old.

Once they leave the Dublin suburbs, Emma is shocked by the sudden absence of buildings. They are abruptly surrounded by green. She sees miles and miles of fields all around her. She sees spots of snow here and there – it is November after all – when the car screeches to a halt. She whirls around to face Killian.

"Are you okay?" she asks frantically. "What's going on?"

"Bloody sheep…" he grumbles, his gaze locked on something in front of the car.

Confused, she moves her gaze to the front of the car, and notices a flock of sheep slowly crossing the road.

"Is this common around here?" Emma asks hesitantly.

"Aye," Killian replies with a sigh. "But it had slipped my mind. I haven't ventured to the countryside since I've been back."

Emma nods.

15 minutes later, and they are still waiting for the herd to cross the road. Emma even notices that they are no longer alone to wait when she looks towards the rear of the car.

"Can't you just honk at them?" she suddenly asks.

"Alas no, love. It will just make things worse. Believe me, I tried once."

She gives him a sympathetic smile, but can't help the giggle that escapes. Killian shoots her a mock glare in response, which only makes her laugh even more.

Finally, another 15 minutes later, they are moving again. A journey that usually takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes, takes them a little more than 2 hours, as they encounter a few more flocks of sheep along the way. It is almost lunch time by the time they arrive in Cashel, so they decide to grab something to eat before doing anything else. Emma spots a pizza joint as they drive through town. Killian seems to agree it is a good idea as he parks the car in a recently vacated space right by the restaurant.

They are welcomed warmly inside. The employee sits them at a secluded table. Emma suspects that he thinks she and Killian are a couple, but doesn't speak up, as a secluded table sounds perfect. Not that they plan on sharing dirty secrets, but for some reason, she doesn't want to share him.

That almost makes her stop dead in the middle of the restaurant. Not share him? What's wrong with her? She has no claim on him. And certainly doesn't plan on having one. And even if she did, she'd never fully have one anyway, because they would both be on different sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Another long distance relationship is not even an option.

So the secluded table is perfect, because she wants to make the most of the time she has with her friend. Yes, that's it. Killian is her friend, and with them both living on different sides of the pond, they won't be able to spend time together as much, so a secluded table is perfect to confide into her _friend_.

Emma mentally shakes herself and pushes these thoughts away to the deepest recesses of her mind. She is a pro at that.

"Everything okay, love?" Killian's voice interrupts her train of thoughts.

"Hmm?" she asks, slightly confused. "Oh, yeah, sorry. I guess I'm still a bit tired from the jet lag."

He only nods. She can hear the lie in her own voice, but if he doesn't believe her, he doesn't let on.

Before any awkwardness can settle, a waiter comes up to them with glasses of water and takes their order. They eat quickly, exchanging a few words here and there. As Killian settles their bill – which she strongly disputes, but he agrees to let her pay for the next meal – their waiter asks them if they are staying in town and, at Emma's affirmative answer, gives them directions to the bed and breakfast they will be staying at, as well as to the Rock of Cashel. When Emma asks what the Rock of Cashel is, the waiter starts on the history of the town. It's another 15 minutes before they finally leave the restaurant.

"Are all Irish people like this?" Emma asks as they settle back in the car.

Killian chuckles. "Aye," he confirms. "You'll notice love, that everyone in this country will want to help you without even having to ask."

"Right," she snorts, not quite believing him.

"Just you wait, love," he winks at her before starting the engine and pulling out of their parking space.

They find Peggy O'Neills' B&B is barely 2 minutes from the restaurant. The building is made of white brick with a red front door, and looks to be a bit of a british architecture. The small parking lot is clean, as is the lawn, which is of a green shade she has never seen in America.

It suddenly hits her that she has seen a lot of grass so far on her trip, and everywhere, it is this healthy shade of green. She finds that she quite likes it.

"Let's go check in, love," Killian says as he kills the engine.

She looks at the time on her phone; it is barely 1 PM.

"Hum, Killian," she says hesitantly. "Isn't check-in usually at like 3 or 4 PM?"

"Indeed," he confirms. "But I requested an early check-in, so that we could leave our things and the car here safely. Everything interesting in town is within walking distance from here."

"Alright then," she shrugs before pushing her door open.

The lady at the front desk introduces herself as Peggy O'Neills. While Killian checks them in, she wanders around the lobby, listening to their conversation with a distracted ear. She refocuses her attention fully on them when the matter of sleeping arrangements comes up.

"But don't you want to share a bed with your bird*?" Ms. O'Neills asks curiously.

"Oh, hum, she's not-" Killian starts to explain.

"Ah!" she exclaims. "No snoggin'*or shaggin'* before marriage, got it," she says in a loud whisper, and with what she imagines is a subtle wink.

Emma turns around at that and sees Killian is blushing profusely. She barely holds in her laugh at the sight. When he sees her smiling, he shoots her a mock glare before grabbing their bags and making his way to the stairs. Emma follows him quietly, but can't hold in the laughter any longer when they are safely inside their room.

"Oh, that's right lass, laugh it up," he says, trying to contain his own laughter. "You do the check-in next time and we'll see how you handle things."

"I'm sure I'll handle it better than you," she replies as her laughter dies down.

"We'll see," Killian replies with a wink.

Emma bites down on her lower lip, though still bad, that wink is starting to make her feel things she's not sure she's ready to feel. Before she can start dwelling on that, she turns her attention to her surroundings, taking in the two twin beds.

"I haven't slept in a twin bed since my teenage years," she says softly.

"The group homes?" he asks quietly.

She nods, not looking at him, scared of what she'll see in his eyes. He doesn't add anything else.

The silence stretches between them, and she starts feeling slightly uncomfortable, so she grabs her bag and dumps it on one of the beds. She slowly opens it and rummages through it to find her toiletries, and goes to deposit them in the ensuite bathroom. She closes the door behind her, trying to compose herself.

She should have expected this. She should have expected that her feelings and attraction for Killian would resurface when they would meet again. It's easier to manage when they are apart, but now… She's not quite sure how to handle it all.

She turns on the faucet, when there is a knock at the door.

"Everything alright, Swan?" she hears Killian ask.

She must have been in the bathroom for longer than she thought.

"Yeah, I'll be right out," she calls out before splashing water to her face.

The water is refreshing and gives her back some strength to face the rest of the day. She places the towel back on the counter before turning to the door, takes a deep breath, and opens the door before stepping back into the room. She finds Killian looking out the window.

"Ready?" she asks him, putting her hands in her coat pockets.

"Aye," he replies, turning to face her. "Let's go."

They exit the room then quickly make their way downstairs and outside. They slowly walk back in the direction they came from, as per the waiter's instructions earlier.

Emma remains silent, not sure what to say. Things between her and Killian were so easy until they got to the B&B, like they were only old friends catching up, but now that she is coming to realize that she may feel more for him than simple friendship, she's not sure how to act anymore. She thought she had succeeded in pushing everything down earlier at the restaurant, but once she found herself in close quarters with him, it all came rushing back. She can't help but think back to her last night in Mexico, how much they had both wished for a bedroom for… their dalliance. It is like they are getting their wish several months too late. Sure, the room contains only twin beds, and Killian has been nothing but a gentleman so far, but still… She can't help but feel that he'll want a repeat performance.

She is then reminded of a conversation a few weeks earlier; how he had almost begged her to give him a chance, and then subsequently promised her that he'd be her friend if that's what she wanted. That's what she wanted then, and that's still what she wants now. But it seems her heart and her mind have different opinions on the matter, and she doesn't know which one to listen to anymore.

Her thoughts are interrupted when they turn a street corner and she spots the Cashel Woollen Store. What actually caught her eye is the sign outside the door in the form of a sheep. She throws Killian a playful smile before making her way inside. She quickly spots the keyrings and shuffles through them to find the perfect one. A neon green, heart-shaped one immediately catches her eye and she giggles, thinking it's exactly what she is looking for. She quickly pulls it off the rack and makes her way to the cash register to make her purchase. The lady is bagging the gift just as Killian appears inside the small store.

"Swan, what are you doing?" he asks her, amused.

"Nothing," she replies innocently before walking back outside.

"Swan!" he calls after her.

She can hear him walk quickly to fall back into step with her.

"Swan, come on, what were you doing in there?"

"I told you," she replies in the same innocent tone. "Nothing. Is this it?" she changes the subject, pointing at the stone wall they are walking by.

"I believe so," he replies hesitantly.

"You've never been here?" she asks curiously.

"Alas no, Liam never had time for such outings when I was a lad, neither did the families that took me in. And when I became an adult, it never occurred to us to travel our own country," he replies sheepishly.

Emma nods. "I can understand. My first trip ever was in Mexico a few months ago. And I haven't seen much of the US."

"Well then lass, we'll have to remedy that," he tells her with a wink before pulling the door to the welcome desk.

They each pay for their admission fee then get in line for the next tour.

"Wow," Emma marvels when they leave the castle after their visit. "I didn't think there was so much history here."

"Aye, it's quite impressive," Killian concurs.

As they make their way back towards the B&B, they decide on a pub for dinner and discuss some more about everything they learned earlier that day. Killian also regals her with bits and pieces he remembers from his history classes in school.

At the end of the day, Emma is quite happy with the day she had. The awkwardness that seemed to have settled after their check-in at the B&B appears to have faded away, and she couldn't be more glad. They are back to their previous dynamic, and she feels comfortable again.

They return to the B&B at around 10 PM, since they need to wake up quite early the next morning for their drive to the Cliffs of Moher.

They leave at 8:30 after a quick breakfast. The drive is uneventful, except for a few flocks of sheep that block their way once again. This time, however, it doesn't take 30 minutes each time for the animals to move away, so they make it to the cliffs with enough time to spare before the cruise Killian has booked for them.

The cruise takes them to the Aran Islands, a group of islands off the western coast of Ireland, at the mouth of the Galway Bay.

As they are sitting in the boat taking them to the islands, Emma looks back to the port they departed from and she gasps.

"Swan?" Killian questions worriedly.

"Killian, look at this," she breathes, her eyes on the cliffs coming into view.

"Bloody hell," he huffs.

Despite the cloudy weather, the Cliffs of Moher make for a breathtaking view. The clouds give them an aura of mystery that Emma finds herself wanting to solve.

She can't tear her eyes away from the cliffs for as long as they are visible from the boat. She is simply speechless.

The visit to the islands is also interesting, what with the Celtic remains and their own breathtaking landscapes, but Emma can't wait to get back to the main island to see the cliffs again.

Her patience is rewarded a few hours later. She and Killian walk back to the top of the cliffs and follow the path along the edge. They talk a bit about their trip to the islands, but Emma mostly takes pictures of basically everything she sees. At some point, they get to the O'Brien's Tower, just north of the Visitor's Centre and once again, Emma is blown away by what she sees: the stone, the grass, the water crashing against the stone walls. She truly has no words to describe it all.

As she rests against the stone walls at the foot of the tower, she simply lets herself absorb the atmosphere. She listens to the waves below, lets the wind blow her hair.

She feels happy.

"Not bad, eh?" Killian intimates from beside her.

"Not bad?" she repeats incredulously before letting a giggle escape. "Killian, this is more than not bad," she emphasizes with air quotes. "This is just… wow."

He chuckles. "Aye," he agrees.

Suddenly, the sun pierces through the cloud cover, giving an orange glow to the sky and clouds.

"Well love," Killian declares, "it seems you will be graced with one of the famous Cliffs of Moher sunsets."

"And here I thought this day couldn't get any better," Emma muses as she pulls her phone back out for more pictures.

"Would you like me to take a picture of you with the sunset?" Killian offers.

"Please, if you don't mind," she accepts with a shy smile.

"I offered, didn't I?" he asks with a wink.

She hands him her phone and he takes a few steps backwards. Just as he lowers the phone, an elderly woman walks by and speaks to him. She sees him nod and hand her the phone.

"What do you say, Swan? A picture of the two of us?" he asks enthusiastically as he walks back to her.

"Sure," she readily agrees.

He stands beside her and wraps his arms around her shoulder, looking towards to woman a few steps away. Emma lays her head on his shoulder and smiles. Killian goes back to the woman and they speak for a moment before he makes his way back to her.

"Maggie says you are a beautiful lass," Killian informs her when he takes his place back beside her. "And that we make a beautiful couple," he adds with a chuckle.

"Thank you," Emma responds then chuckles herself. "Did you tell her we're not together?"

"Aye, she wouldn't believe me," he says with a snort.

The wistful way in which he talks makes her believe that the woman, Maggie, is not the only one not believing it.

"Killian," she says softly, hesitantly. "You… you do understand my reasons for, you know…" she stops, not sure how to phrase the last part of her question.

"To refuse a relationship with me?" he finishes for her.

She gives him a sad smile, but nods.

"Aye, Emma, I do," he whispers, looking away from her. "But you can't ask me to forget about my feelings so easily."

"I know," she whispers back.

They leave once the sun has completely set, and make their way to Doolin where, Killian informs her on the car ride, they will be spending the night. He drives them to their hotel, the Aran View Country house, so they can check-in before dinner.

Everything goes smoothly until the front desk lady informs them their room only has one queen size bed.

"What?" Killian asks dubiously.

"But the reservation was for a room with two twin beds," Emma argues.

"Apologies, ma'am," the lady says regretfully, "but it so happens that we overbooked our rooms with twin beds and since yours was the most recent reservation, we gave you another type of room."

"Swan, surely we can share a bed for one night," Killian urges.

Emma hesitates. After their earlier words about their non-existent relationship, she isn't sure it would be a good idea to share a bed with him so soon.

"I can call the other hotels in town to see if they have any vacancies, if you'd like," the lady offers.

"Please do," Emma agrees quickly.

Killian frowns at her, but doesn't comment.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," the lady apologizes a few minutes later after hanging up the phone. "But there are no vacancies anywhere else for a room with two twin beds."

Emma sighs. Of course there aren't. Just her luck.

"Fine," she relents. "We'll take the room."

The lady finishes their registration and hands them their room keys.

"Enjoy your stay," she tells them with a hesitant smile when they step away from the desk.

"Thanks," Emma grumbles before following Killian up the stairs.

"Well at least she didn't assume we were a couple, this time," Killian quips as he opens the door to their room.

Emma doesn't comment. She silently follows him inside and closes the door behind her before dropping her bag on a chair and sitting on the bed. She puts her head in her hands and massages a bit at her temples, trying to will away the forming headache. How can things go downhill so fast?

She hears Killian come closer and when she opens her eyes, he is crouching in front of her.

"Swan," he says softly. "If you're so against sharing a bed with me, I'll make up a wall of pillows between us when we'll go to sleep, or I'll even sleep on the floor if you really don't trust me."

She can see in his eyes that the question of trust is the most important thing to him, and she hates that he thinks she doesn't trust him. However, she doesn't quite know how to reassure him.

"I do trust you," she whispers after a moment of silence, finding this is all she can say.

He observes her doubtfully for a moment before standing back up.

"Let's go get something to eat," he declares, offering his hand to help her up.

She looks up at him for a moment, trying to read his mood. She knows she's definitely not off the hook, but she's glad for the reprieve. She grabs his hand and stands up, if only to show him that she really does trust him. She just needs to find the words to reassure him, explain herself.

They make their way downstairs silently. Killian stops at the front desk and asks for some restaurant recommendations, and then they walk out to the car. They briefly discuss where to go for their meal, and once it is settled, silence overtakes them.

Emma feels uncomfortable. She knows she messed up earlier. Bringing up her refusal to a relationship with him certainly wasn't a wise move. She knows she's hurt him when rejected the idea of them being together. She shouldn't have expected for him to be over it so soon after her rebuff.

When they arrive at the restaurant they chose, they walk inside silently. The hostess welcomes them warmly before walking them to a table.

"Is this alright?" she asks as she points to a table by a window.

Killian looks at her expectantly. She flushes slightly, but nods.

"Yes, it's fine," she confirms.

The hostess leaves menus on the table before walking away.

Emma unzips her jacket and goes to remove it, when she feels a pair of hands grabbing at its collar and helping her out of it. Killian hands it to her when she turns around to face him. She gives him a small smile in thanks before draping the jacket over the back of her chair and sitting down. He follows suit, opening his menu and perusing it silently.

The silence remains until a waiter comes to take their order, resumes after he's left and stretches until they receive their drinks. As she takes a sip of her wine, she notices that his left hand is slightly shaking. She looks up at his face and sees him wince.

"Are you okay?" she asks softly.

He shakes his head negatively before massaging his hand. It must not be very effective, as he gets more agitated as the minutes tick by.

"May I?" she coaxes, her right palm face up on the table.

He gazes at her thoughtfully for a moment, unmoving, before hesitantly reaching out his hand to hers. She grabs it and starts massaging softly.

"Your arthritis?" she uselessly asks.

She knows very well it is the cause of his current distress, but that's all she could find to say to break the silence. He nods in response.

She bites at her lower lip. "Is it my fault?" inquires in a small voice.

He sighs. "Honestly?" he retorts.

She looks up at him and nods before focusing back on his hand.

"A little," he confirms. "But the cold is the main cause."

"Did you bring your medication?"

"Aye, it's in my bag, back in our room. I will take some when we get back."

She nods. Silence settles between them again, but she feels it is less tensed than earlier, which is a relief.

"Better?" she inquires a while later, releasing his hand.

"Yes, much. Thanks, love," she can hear the sincerity in his voice.

She gives him a small smile.

Just then, the waiter arrives with their meal. They start to eat in silence.

"Thank you," she blurts out sometime later.

"What for, Swan?" he asks before taking another bite of his fish.

"For today, yesterday," she elaborates. "For welcoming me."

"Of course, love."

She can hear the sincerity in his voice; however, she still feels it's an automatic answer. Like he is not sure he really means it. She can't help but fear that he now regrets inviting her in his home, in his country.

"I'm sorry about earlier," she feels the need to apologize. "It's no excuse, but the day caught up to me and I made a mountain out of a mole hill of the bed issue. I overreacted. I don't mind sharing a bed with you for one night."

A shadow seems to cloud his eyes for a second at her last words, but it's gone as soon as it's come, so she's not sure she saw correctly.

"Apology accepted," he replies with a crooked smile, patting her hand. "I promise I won't bite… unless you ask," he adds with a wink.

Her giggles break the final threads of tension between them. He launches into stories of mischief he and Roland have gotten into as they finish their meal.

The ride back to the hotel is lighter, as is the mood once they are back in their room. Killian lets her use the bathroom first to shower and prepare for bed. As he does his business, she settles in bed with a book. After reading the same sentence a dozen times, she comes to the conclusion that it's a fruitless effort and lies down. She is barely conscious when she hears the bathroom door open. A moment later, she feels the mattress dip under Killian's weight.

"Good night Swan," he whispers before clicking off his bedside lamp.

"Hmm, night," she grumbles before succumbing to slumber.

-K&E-

Warm. She feels blissfully warm and comfortable.

As she slowly gains back consciousness, she becomes aware of a weight around her middle that seems to be attached to the source of warmth at her back.

When her brain finally catches up with her body, she realizes it is Killian that is spooning her, and finds that it doesn't bother her as much as it should. She hasn't slept that well in a very long time.

And that's when the panic sets in. She shouldn't feel so comfortable in his arms. She suddenly feels an overwhelming desire to run, to put as much distance as she can between them. But then her traitorous heart whispers that she should stay, that she should enjoy this. That she should jump at this chance, knowing his feelings for her. Her brain retorts that she can't get involved in another long distance relationship. She couldn't take it. It would be too hard to be so far away from him.

She tries to get out from under his arm as smoothly as she can, and without waking him. It takes a while, but she finally manages to get out of bed and to the bathroom without him moving. When she comes out, she finds Killian stretching under the covers.

"Good morning," she greets him as she goes to put her toiletries bag back into her luggage.

"Good morning love," he greets back. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes," is all she answers. "And you?"

She doesn't think it wise to bring up the fact that they were spooning.

"I slept very well, thank you," he replies as he gets out of bed.

She can't help the blush that rises to her cheeks when she notices he only has boxer briefs on and quickly looks away, occupying herself with picking out what to wear for the day.

They leave the room about 20 minutes later to go down to breakfast. They eat quickly before heading back up to their room to make sure they didn't forget anything before grabbing their bags. Emma pulls the door closed behind them and follows Killian downstairs. The man at the front desk makes quick work of their check out, and they are soon on their way to the Connemara National Park.

They make it in good time to the park as they do not encounter any sheep this time. Emma can't help but tease Killian about it along the way. When they drive through Galway, Emma asks what's to see there. Killian promises her to take her to a pub there later that night, as they haven't been to a proper one since she has arrived in Ireland, and Galway is known for its pubs and younger crowd. Emma is excited at the prospect.

As Killian parks the car at the Visitor Centre, Emma looks up at the hill in front of her.

"What's this?" she asks.

"This is Diamond Hill, love. Perfect for hiking," Killian answers before pushing open his door.

Emma follows suit and meets him at the trunk of the car. They each grab their boots and swiftly pull them on.

"Ready Swan?" Killian teases.

"As I'll ever be," she accepts the challenge.

They go inside the Visitor Centre to grab a map and anything else that would be necessary to their climb, and then start their journey. The climb is steeper than Emma had initially anticipated, but nothing she can't handle. At first, she lets Killian lead, thinking that he must know these trails, seeing as he is a local. However, the further they get, the slower Killian is. At some point, she decides to take the lead instead. She keeps an eye on him from time to time to make sure he is still following, but after a while it takes him so long that she decides she'll meet him at the Halfway Stone. He agrees and she starts climbing again.

She doesn't keep tabs on the time, but it feels like it's only a short while later that she reaches the Halfway Stone.

The view is absolutely stunning. It is the first time Emma sees the sunshine since her arrival, and she feels truly blessed that the sun shows up that day. A deep forest lies at her feet, and she can see further away lakes, and some mountains complete the background, standing small against the blue, almost cloudless sky. She looks around and spots a large, flat stone, so she makes her way to it and sits down, relaxing and enjoying the view. After a while, she extends her hands behind her and rests on them, lifting her face towards the sun, soaking in its warmth. It's nothing like the Mexico sun, she thinks, but it has the same effect on her: her stress seems to evaporate. Like water under the sun, it transforms into miniscule droplets and disappears up in the air. She only hopes that the clouds that will form won't rain down on her later.

When she opens her eyes again, she takes a look around her, and notices Killian making his way to her. She gives him a large smile as he sits down beside her.

"You look relaxed, love," he comments with a grin.

She can hear him pant slightly.

"And you look tired, old man," she retorts with a smirk.

He barks out a laugh through his pants.

"Aye, it seems I am more out of shape than I thought," he relents. "You've bested me, Swan."

He puts his arm around her shoulders and quickly squeezes her into him before releasing her.

"I love this country," she announces quietly.

If Killian hears her, he doesn't let on, as he remains stoically observing the landscape before them. It is better this way, she thinks. She doesn't know how she would react if he commented on it.

She doesn't know, because she's not sure how she feels anymore. Her thoughts are in mayhem. Her heart beats faster in Killian's presence, and she misses him like crazy whenever they are separated. Her brain, however, still keeps her rooted in the same place, invoking the long distance relationship card. It keeps nagging her that it is doomed to fail, just like it did with Neil.

Getting frustrated, she takes a deep breath and pushes these thought on the back burner once again. This is not the time or place.

"Everything okay?" she hears Killian ask quietly.

She only nods.

After another bout of silence between them, she starts to grow restless.

"Are you up for reaching the summit?" she asks in a teasing voice.

He chuckles. "Alas no, love. Let's go back down. If you ever come back," he adds with a wink, "we'll come back and we'll race to the summit."

"Well in that case, I will definitely come back," she responds in jest.

He grins at her before standing up and stretching. She can't help but admire the small patch of skin that appears at the bottom of his jacket. She starts daydreaming of running her hands on his entire torso, through the thick chest hair she got a glimpse of earlier that morning.

A hand suddenly appears in front of her eyes. She looks up and finds Killian looking at her curiously.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asks her, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Yeah, sorry," she can't even find a lame excuse for her behavior.

He offers his hand to help her up. She grabs it and pulls herself up, and then they start on the path down the hill.

Emma falls asleep in the car on the way to Galway, she realizes, as the first thing she knows, Killian is slightly shaking her and the car has stopped.

"Where are we?" she asks groggily.

"We're in Galway, love. You slept the whole way," Killian replies.

She can see concern in his gaze, so she tries to think of a quick way to diffuse it.

"I'm fine," she answers his silent question softly. "The climb must have been harder than I thought."

"If you're sure," he doubtfully says.

"I am, I swear," she insists.

"Alright then, let's go check in and clean up, and then we'll get some dinner," he suggests.

"Sounds good," she agrees, and they exit the car.

Check-in goes without a hitch, they get the 2 twin beds room Killian had requested, and they quickly make their way up to their room. Killian allows Emma to use the bathroom first once again, so she hastily showers and dries her hair. She then promptly exits the bathroom to allow him to shower in turn. While she waits for him to finish, she puts the finishing touches to her hair so that it falls in soft waves around her shoulders and puts on light make-up.

Killian exits the bathroom just as she is recapping her mascara, and she almost drops it when she turns to look at him. His attire is simple, but he looks damn sexy: dark wash jeans with a dark grey button-up shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The first few buttons are unbuttoned, allowing her a glimpse at the chest hair peeking through the opening. His hair is in a disheveled state, but still looks like there was work put into it. She manages to catch herself before drool starts dripping off her chin. She doesn't dare think of how he must look in a suit.

And then she mentally slaps herself for letting her thoughts wander so much. Of course, she has to admit that he is one hot man, but she can't allow herself any more thoughts like these, they are dangerous.

She manages to forget all about it as the night goes on; enjoying the meal and drinks they share at a local pub. She loves the atmosphere inside the pub. Of course, there are a few that are more obnoxious, but most of the crowd is respectful and takes polite interest in her. At some point, one of them engages Killian in conversation, and they get so much into the Irish slang that she loses track of what they are talking about, but she doesn't mind. She's having fun and that's all that matters.

At around 11 PM, despite her nap in the car, the day catches up to her and a yawn escapes during a pause in her conversation with Killian and another Irish man whose name she can't seem to recall.

"Tired?" she hears Killian ask over the noise.

She nods, stifling another yawn.

"Let's go to bed, then," he decides as he signals for a waiter.

"You don't have to come with me," she objects. "The hotel is just around the corner. You can stay here a while longer."

"Nonsense, love, I'm coming with you. I'm a tad tired myself, to be honest," he admits with a shrug.

"Okay then," she relents.

Much to her protests, he pays for both of their meals and their drinks, then they leave the pub. The fresh air feels good on her heated skin, and it gives her enough energy for the walk back to their hotel.

Once inside the room, Emma makes quick work of brushing her teeth and changing into her pajamas, wanting nothing more than to crash into bed and sleep.

But it isn't so easy.

She manages to sleep for a while, but something wakes her up at some point, and she can't seem to fall back asleep. She tosses and turns as quietly as she can, not wanting to disturb Killian.

And then it hits her: she misses Killian's arms, his warmth, and the safety she had felt the previous night. Try as she might, it's just impossible to fall back asleep. Her mind won't let up, trying to convince her to jump into the bed a few feet away from hers and seek Killian's comfort. And it's working, because she ends up debating on which reason she could give him for her appearance in his bed.

_One last time_ , she tells herself. She will indulge herself one last time, and then she'll need to put this behind her, and try to be happy with their friendship.

Try being the key word here.

So she quickly pushes off the covers from her body and steps up to Killian's bed.

"Killian?" she whispers loudly.

No response.

"Killian?" she tries again, shaking his shoulder slightly.

He grunts, then yawns and pops an eye open.

"Emma?" he asks his voice heavy with sleep, making his accent thicker. "Are you alright?"

She bites on her lower lip. "No, I… I just had a nightmare, do you mind if I…?" she trails off, feeling slightly guilty for the lie.

He rubs a hand down his face then pulls the corner of the covers.

"Of course not," he replies gruffly.

She lies down beside him, and he quickly pulls the covers over the both of them. He lies on his back, so she turns to tuck herself into his side. His arm comes around her shoulder, and he is fast asleep again. She isn't far behind.

-K&E-

The drive back to Dublin is pretty uneventful, apart from a few mishaps on Emma's part, as she is able to convince Killian to let her drive. Being used to drive on the other side of the road, she finds herself in the wrong line a few times as they are leaving Galway, but everything goes well the rest of the way to Dublin.

They stop at Robin and Regina's house to leave the car, and end up having dinner with the little family. Regina invites Emma to join her for some shopping. Emma is surprised at the invitation, but readily accepts; thinking that some girl time might be beneficial. Not that she is tired of spending time with Killian, if she is honest with herself, but more and more she finds that her thoughts when it comes to him become clouded when in his presence. She definitely will not talk this out with Regina, who, while being nice and friendly, is still a complete stranger, but spending a few hours away from him might just help shed some light on her feelings.

"So how do you like Ireland so far, Emma?" Regina asks over lunch.

"I love it," Emma replies with a large smile. "Dublin is great, and I just love the fact that just outside the city, the scenery changes immediately to miles and miles of green. And the landscapes are just… breathtaking, and within a couple hours' drive. In the US, you have to take at least a few days off to go to the major national parks."

Regina hums in agreement. "At the beginning, I didn't like it much. This country is known for its mostly rainy weather."

Emma nods. "Yeah, but it's like… the rain is different here."

Regina laughs lightly. "The rain is different? Emma, rain is rain."

"I know, but… I don't know, I feel there's something different here about it," Emma tries to explain, but she can't find the words to describe her feelings.

Regina gives her a knowing smile. "It wouldn't have anything to do with a blue-eyed, handsome dark haired man, by any chance?"

Emma becomes silent; her eyes falling to her plate and starts picking at her food.

"Emma," Regina coaxes, "it's obvious you two are crazy about each other. So why are you holding back?"

And here she thought she would be able to avoid this specific topic, but Regina saw right through her. Maybe she wasn't as good at hiding her feelings as she had thought. And the more she thinks about it, the more she thinks that maybe it'd be good to get a stranger's thoughts on this. Regina doesn't know her as much as Mary Margaret and Ruby, maybe she'll be able to provide a less biased point of view.

"Because we both live on different sides of an ocean. After what he went through with Milah, I don't think he's ready to up and leave Ireland again for a woman. As for me, I was in a long distance relationship before, and it failed. I'm never putting myself through that again, it's too hard."

Regina nods. Emma can see that she wants to comment further, but is holding herself back.

"That's it?" Emma asks trying to prompt Regina to spill whatever's on her mind.

"Oh, believe me, I have much more to say," Regina replies seriously, "but I don't think you're ready to hear what I have to say."

Emma frowns. "Why wouldn't I be ready?"

"Because you're in denial," Regina says pointedly.

"I'm not in denial," Emma protests.

"If you weren't in denial, you would be trying to think of a solution to the distance instead of forbidding yourself a relationship with Killian, that's all I'm going to say."

At least she's honest; Emma has to give her that. Having no desire to think about this again that day, she distracts Regina with questions about Robin and the wedding. It is a successful maneuver, and she is able to avoid the topic of her and Killian for the rest of the day.

The next few days pass in a similar fashion, filled with little moments that tend to make Emma reconsider her decision when it comes to Killian. But she quickly dismisses those thoughts.

The day before she is due to return to Boston, Killian has to go to the office for a few hours. She can see he is reluctant to leave, but she reminds him of his obligations, and so he goes with a promise to come back as soon as possible.

She curls up in the bay-window with a blanket and a book, but quickly finds that she can't concentrate on the words. So she looks outside and lets her thoughts wander.

She finds herself missing Killian, and he has just left the house. She thinks back on the last 2 weeks, and can't come up with anything she didn't like about her stay. Killian was a perfect gentleman, and always considered her thoughts on everything. He always put her first, always gave her a choice, something she had not really experienced with Neal.

Thinking about Killian also brings forward feelings. Romantic feelings, she can't deny it anymore, that she realizes she cannot shake off. And, if she's honest, she doesn't want them to disappear. Because they make her feel incredibly happy.

But she doesn't act on those feelings when Killian gets back later, and neither does she when they are at the airport. She may hug him for longer than is appropriate for friends before she crosses the security checkpoint. The desire to kiss him even hits her as she pulls away and looks up in his eyes, but she chickens out, too scared by the distance that will soon be separating them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review? :o)


	21. Diez y seis - KPOV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Tuesday all! Seems I've been making a habit of updating on Tuesdays now, so I guess I will go with this new posting schedule. Fits a lot better in my own schedule too, haha. Here's Killian's PWV after Emma's departure. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Disclaimer: nope, nothing, nada...

**Chapter 16A**

The afghan is neatly folded and resting on the back of the couch, as if she had never been there. But her perfume still remains, his only consolation.

The book she had taken the habit of leaving on the seat of the bay-window is no longer there; probably back on the shelf where she had pulled it from. Try as he might, he can't remember which one it was, and therefore cannot share the story with her.

Her red leather jacket is no longer hanging on the hook by the door she had claimed as hers.

In the bathroom, he had gotten used to her blue toothbrush sitting beside his green one in the toothbrush holder, to the pale pink toiletry bag sitting on the counter.

He had liked to prepare meals for the both of them, and wash the dishes together afterwards. She had rearranged the pantry because she thought her way was much more logical and easy. He'd let her, not having the heart to argue that there was logic to his mess. She'd helped him rearrange the office upstairs so that more light came in from the window.

She had brought life to the house, had made it feel more like the home it is supposed to be.

And, whatever deity is up there help him; he could picture them sharing a life in that house. Which only adds to his pain and despair.

As he sits there on the bay-window seat that Emma had previously occupied, he is at a loss.

He knows deep down that Emma has feelings for him too. She hadn't exactly voiced it, but the way she had asked if he understood why she refused to give them a chance at a relationship was quite obvious.

Or when she lied to him. She may have thought she had him fooled, but it was quite the opposite. He just didn't comment because she's not ready to hear what he has to say.

Like in Galway, when she woke him up after her so called nightmare. He'd known it was a lie, but hadn't called her out on it because it would have sent her running for the hills. She isn't ready to admit her feelings. She is still in denial that something good could come from this chaos. But he'd decided to indulge her all the same, because he couldn't have resisted anyway. He'd needed to feel her beside him, in his arms. He'd known it was probably the last time he'd get that chance, so he'd let the lie slide and accepted her in his bed, however small it had been. He's a masochist that way.

The wind picks up outside, and it immediately brings him back to that day at the cliffs.

For a moment, Emma had looked so serene. She'd been magnificent with her eyes closed, a light smile on her lips, and her golden hair whipping in the wind. He'd taken a picture of her like this without her knowing, and had saved it as his background picture on his phone.

How he wishes he could have held her in his arms right then and kissed her. Or at the restaurant that same night after she'd massaged his hand. Or at the Halfway Stone. Or at the pub in Galway.

Or any time, for that matter. The entire time she'd been there, it had all felt like they were a couple, minus the official label.

He is frustrated. Frustrated at himself for not trying to push Emma to open up about her feelings. While he knows that pushing Emma isn't exactly smart, she had shown an opening at the cliffs that he should have stepped into, but he hadn't, his fear of being rejected dominating. He does love the woman, but he still has a sense of self-preservation left.

Speaking of self-preservation… he had been awake when Emma had left the bed they were sharing in Doolin. He had felt like he was in heaven as he was holding her. But he'd held himself back from pulling her into his body to snuggle some more, because he'd known she would have been even more skittish. So he'd let her go, and immediately felt cold.

He wishes he could find a way to make her believe she can trust him with her heart. He really does understand her reasons for refusing a long distance relationship, but they wouldn't be apart for long. At least, he hopes so…

The doorbell rings. He looks at the front door through the bay-window and sees Robin, Regina and Roland are there. He curses silently, having lost track of time. Roland notices him in the window and waves energetically at him. Killian grins and waves back.

The lad never fails to make him smile.

He walks to the front door and lets his friends in.

"I gather from the lack of food smell that you haven't started on dinner?" is Regina's greeting.

"Hello to you too, Regina," Killian replies, taking her coat and hanging it on the hook beside Emma's.

He really ought to stop thinking of that hook as hers…

Regina gives him a once over and her eyes soften slightly.

"I'll make some lasagna," is all she says before she makes her way to the kitchen.

Killian is grateful that she doesn't comment on his state. He knows he looks awful, but he hasn't had the heart to do much since Emma's departure the day before.

"Roland, why don't you go and see if Regina needs any help?" Robin asks his son joyfully.

"Okay!" the lad exclaims before running in the same direction as Regina.

"Come on, mate," Robin lightly pushes Killian into the living room.

They sit at opposite ends of the couch, Killian facing the window and just looking outside. Robin turns on the television and watches a football game for a while. Usually a fan of the sport, Killian finds that he can't even find interest in it today.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" Robin asks after a while, clearly growing frustrated at Killian's lack of conversation.

"Wondering just about the same thing, mate," Killian responds quietly.

"Did you and Emma not part on good terms?" his friend asks hesitantly.

Killian shakes his head no. "Quite the opposite, in fact," he adds. "It even seemed like she didn't quite want to leave."

"That's good, isn't it?"

"I suppose. If she could just admit to her feelings."

"She'll come around," Regina suddenly speaks from behind him.

She approaches and hand both him and Robin a beer.

"Just give her some time," she adds before leaving the room.

Killian is at a loss at to what to say to that.

"I agree with her," Robin pipes up.

He raises and eyebrow in question.

"I observed Emma, the few times we were all gathered together. I could see it in her eyes, how much she likes you. She's different from Milah. She isn't selfish; she didn't want you all to herself. But she'd always remain close to you. Every time you came over for dinner, she actually engaged in conversation with Regina. They even spent a day together shopping, for god's sake. Regina wouldn't have invited her if she hadn't liked her."

Killian looks thoughtfully at his friend for a moment, then nods, accepting what he is saying.

"I appreciated her patience with Roland the night of her first dinner with us," Robin continues. "And I must admit I was impressed by how she stood up to me."

Killian can't help but smile proudly at that.

"Aye. You were being a downright arse, mate. She's a strong lass that doesn't take shit from anybody."

"I gathered as much," Robin comments with a chuckle.

Killian chuckles along with his friend, his mood improving slightly.

"So," he adds teasingly, suddenly realizing, "you approve of Emma?"

Robin mockingly glares at him before nodding. "Aye. Still, be careful, Killian. But I've never seen you happier than when you were with her. I hope things will work out."

"Thanks, mate."

Robin nods before turning his attention back to the game on the screen. This time, Killian is able to focus on the game, and they cheer when their team scores.

"How are the wedding preparations going?" he asks during a commercial break.

"Quite well," Robin answers, picking at the label on his beer bottle.

Killian frowns, this anxiousness not typical of his friend. "Out with it, mate," he demands.

Robin sighs. "I was wondering if you would agree to be my best man. We've been friends a long time, Killian, and-"

"Of course I'll be your best man, mate," Killian interrupts him. "I would have questioned your sanity if you hadn't asked me," he adds teasingly.

"Very funny. Will you bring a date?"

Killian's proud smile fades at that.

"I don't know, mate. I would like nothing more than to ask Emma, but I'm not sure how she'll take it. She's made it subtly known that she has feelings for me, but she refuses to act on them because of the distance between us."

"It could be the perfect occasion to woo her," Robin comments. "She liked Ireland, correct?"

Killian nods but doesn't add anything else. He doesn't know what to say. He wants to be with her, desperately, but is he willing to leave everything behind – again – for a woman?

-K&E-

Later that week, as he is getting home from work, he drops his keys on the ground. A flash of neon green flashes in his eyes as he bends down to retrieve them. Standing back upright, he notices it is the keyring Emma had given him, and his memories rush back to the surface.

FLASHBACK

_It is Emma's last night in Ireland and she seems melancholic. Killian hopes that dinner with Robin and Regina will cheer her up at least a little._

_After dinner, as they prepare to leave, poor Roland is heartbroken when Emma tells him she is leaving. A promise to come back finally gets him to let go of her._

_Killian teases her that she has found a new best friend on the way back to his house, but all he gets is a small smile in response._

_She joins him on the living room couch after, he notices, she has changed into her pajamas._

_And suddenly, a neon green heart with what seems to be a sheep designed on it appears in front of his face._

_"Bloody hell," he grounds out. "What is this, Swan?"_

_Emma giggles. "A keyring," she answers innocently._

_He raises an eyebrow at her. "A keyring with a bloody sheep on it."_

_She nods, grinning widely. "It's for you."_

_He narrows his eyes at her playfully. "For me?" he repeats._

_She nods again._

_"And why would you give me a keyring with a bloody sheep on it, Swan?" he asks._

_"Because I know how much you love them?" she answers questioningly._

_He growls and she squeals as he pounces and starts to tickle her._

END OF FLASHBACK

He meticulously removes the dirt from the wool before inserting the key in the lock.

She had left the keyring on the coffee table for him to find before they left for the airport the next morning. He'd turned it around and around in his hands for several minutes before finally relenting and attaching it to his house key.

It serves as a reminder of the wonderful time he'd spent with her, as proof that she had actually been there, that it wasn't all a dream. Her presence in his country – in his house – had only cemented his feelings for her. And now, knowing that his feelings are not completely unrequited gives him hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review? :o)


	22. Diez y siete

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Wednesday! Here is chapter 17, I hope you like it.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT, or it's characters, and bla bla bla...

**Chapter 17**

As she drives around the Boston suburbs in her patrol car, she is hit by melancholy. She misses the greenery of the Irish countryside, which is only a short drive away from the city.

How she had loved the Cliffs of Moher. They had taken her breath away. The way the stone was standing out of the water. The way the water was crashing against the stone walls… just like the way her feelings are crashing against the walls she has built around her heart.

She shakes her head, having no desire to fall into these thoughts at that moment.

The Connemara National Park was her second favourite. She had loved Diamond Hill, and there is so much more to see. The promise to Roland to go back was mostly to placate him at first, but now… she feels a pull to that country. She needs to go back.

She was also charmed by the people. They had made her feel welcome and they were always willing to help. The waiter at the pizza place in Cashel is proof enough of that.

They are also hilarious people. They always have a joke or a funny story up their sleeve. She had had so much fun at the pub in Galway, the patrons almost making up a queue by their table to get a chance to talk to them.

A few hours later, as she parks her patrol car in the precinct's parking lot, she notices David coming out of the building.

"Hey David!" she calls out as she runs to catch up to him.

"Oh, hey Emma," he responds, taking a step to give her a hug.

She hugs him back a bit awkwardly, still not used to this kind of affection from her friends.

"What are you doing here?" she asks after pulling away.

"I'm just coming out from an interview, actually," he replies sheepishly.

"Really? Mary Margaret didn't tell me you were looking for a job around here."

"Hum, well… she doesn't know."

Emma's eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

"Yeah. She's been dropping hints at us moving in together and stuff," he continues. "I wasn't sure yet if I wanted to move to Boston, so I thought I'd get a feel of how things are here before anything."

"And how did the interview go?"

"Pretty well, actually. They said I'd hear back within the week."

"Wow, that's great."

"Thanks," he smiles. "How was Ireland?"

She feels her lips stretching into a large smile. "It was amazing," she replies.

He nods with a large smile of his own. "I'd love to stay and chat, but Mary Margaret's expecting me. We'll catch up later?"

"Definitely," she nods, smiling back.

He waves at her and walks away. She watches him for a moment, feeling a bit of jealousy rising, but she mentally shakes herself for the irrational emotion and makes her way inside the building.

-K&E-

Her apartment feels small and empty. It doesn't even look lived in. A pang of pain hits her in the chest, making her heart squeeze painfully.

She misses Killian. She had gotten used to him waking before her and preparing breakfast for the two of them. He'd always have a cup of coffee ready for her, just the way she likes it.

She had felt at home in his house. When she had first stepped inside, she had immediately felt at ease, calm and safe. There is a sign above the hooks, by the front door, that says "failte". Killian had explained it means "welcome" in Irish. She had smiled at that, and her anxiety had evaporated.

He'd never forbidden her from going into any room in the house. She remembers that some of the foster families with whom she had stayed had forbidden her from all rooms in their houses except her room – which she was often sharing with another foster kid – and the kitchen. She had been unable to have her own spot. So she had been grateful and pleasantly surprised by Killian's lack of complaint when she had squatted the bay-window seat. He would even bring her a cup of hot chocolate sometimes when it was especially chilly, all without her having to ask.

She would even go as far as saying that it was as if they had been living together for years. The way they navigated around each other, the way they always knew what the other needed without having to speak. It was so easy. When they would prepare meals, Killian always manned the stove while she would cut and chop the ingredients. She had never mentioned that she could barely cook to save her life. He seems to have understood on his own.

She misses his warmth. She'd gotten a taste of what it could be to sleep in his arms, and she doesn't think she would ever get enough. She misses how he'd immediately made her feel at home with him. He'd treated her as his equal, always considered her opinion.

Later that night, she watches a movie on Netflix. The scene suddenly cuts to an airport, to a man and woman clinging to each other, not wanting to let go. She is suddenly pulled back to her own departure from Dublin. She hadn't wanted to let go of him. The further she had walked from Killian, the emptier she'd felt. And still feels. She had let a few tears escape when she had watched the ground disappear from under the plane. She left a piece of herself there. Her mind says that she left it in Ireland because of her love for the country, but her heart disputes that, saying she's left that piece with Killian. She stubbornly gives reason to her mind.

-K&E-

The first Friday after her return, she meets with Mary Margaret, Ruby and Belle for drinks after work. They have fun, asking each other about their week. Mary Margaret delights them with tales of her young students.

"So Ruby, how's Victor?" Emma asks when a lull settles in their conversation.

"He's great," the tall brunette answers. "He's got a job at the Boston Children's Hospital. Can you guys believe he's a doctor and that he loves children?"

"Jackpot!" Belle exclaims, raising her glass for an impromptu toast.

They all laugh and toast.

"I have news!" Mary Margaret says excitedly.

"Spill!" Ruby demands before taking a sip from her beer.

"David and I are moving in together!"

Emma is sure that if her friend weren't sitting, she would be jumping all around the bar. She can't help but laugh.

"That's great! Has he found a job in the area?" Belle asks curiously.

"Actually, yes," Mary Margaret answers. "He'll be working with Emma."

"Really?" Emma is pleasantly surprised at this news.

Mary Margaret nods. "I hope you'll help him settle in," she says softly.

"Of course," Emma immediately agrees.

"What about you, Emma?" Belle asks excitedly. "How was Ireland?"

"It was amazing," she replies sincerely.

She launches into a detailed description of Killian's house, how it had been his parents' house before his mother died and his father abandoned him and his brother. She even tells them how Killian and Liam managed to ward off social services until Liam enlisted in the Navy.

"That's great," Belle comments, "and what did you do while you were there?"

"Oh, not much," Emma responds dismissively. "I read, watched movies when he would work on some of his work stuff. Otherwise, we went out a bit. He took me to some castle ruins, these beautiful cliffs, the Cliffs of Moher, and the Connemara National Park."

Her friends observe her with a thoughtful look for a moment, so much that she starts to feel uncomfortable. Then they exchange a look.

"What?" she asks defensively.

"You like him, don't you?" Ruby asks softly, but seriously, breaking the silence.

"Of course I like him," she replies, still defensive. "He's my friend."

"Emma-" Ruby starts compassionately.

"Please, Ruby," Emma interrupts, her voice tight with emotion.

She can feel the walls she had carefully erected around her heart, start to crumble, and she's not sure how to handle it.

"Fine," her friend relents. "But you're gonna have to face this one way or another.

Her friends are looking at her with nothing but compassion, but for some reason, she can't take it.

She is still very confused about the emotions Killian evokes in her. They have spoken a few times since her return, and each time, she finds that it is harder to let him go.

Feeling a lump forming in her throat, she gets up from her seat and gathers her belongings.

"I'm sorry, I'm not feeling well," she quickly excuses herself before leaving some cash on the table and hastily making her way towards the exit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review? :o)


	23. Diez y ocho

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thursday! Here is the next chapter. Kinda short, I know, this is sort of a filler chapter, as I needed this transition to the next one ;o) I hope you like it.
> 
> Disclaimer: nope...

**Chapter 18**

It is a beautiful March morning when Emma wakes up. It is Saturday, she has nothing planned, so she decides to lounge in bed for a while. She pulls her phone up from her nightstand and turns on the screen. She sees she has a few emails, so she unlocks it and deletes the junk and reads through the ones of interest, when a video call request from Killian suddenly pops up on her screen. She smiles and accepts the call, sitting up in her bed.

" _Good morning love_ ," he greets her a few seconds later.

"Good morning Killian," she greets back.

" _Just waking up?_ " he inquires.

"Yeah. I decided to sleep in a bit," she responds with a yawn.

" _That's good, you deserve it,_ " he acquiesces.

"How's Ireland?" she questions.

" _Still here,_ " he responds with a laugh. " _And how's Boston?_ "

"Still here," she replies cheekily.

He laughs again. When his laughter dies down, she notices he seems slightly nervous.

"Are you okay?" she asks, worried.

He scratches behind his ear before nodding. " _Aye,_ " he confirms. " _It's just… There is something I want to ask you._ "

"Then ask away," she encourages gently.

" _Alright…_ " he takes a deep breath. " _Emma, I was wondering if you would do me the honor of accompanying me to Regina and Robin's wedding._ "

Well, she had not expected that.

"You mean, be your date?" She is stunned by the question, that's all she can manage.

Killian chuckles. " _Aye, that's another way to put it,_ " he confirms. " _I thought it would be a wonderful occasion for you to come to Ireland again. I'll be the best man, but my only duties will be to provide the rings at the right moment and deliver a speech._ "

"How long have you known Robin?" she asks curiously.

She is genuinely interested in that story. Despite her first impression of the man, Emma has come to like Robin. She had gathered that he had first acted the way he did out of concern for Killian, knowing his past with Milah.

" _I've known him since university,_ " he answers with a sigh. " _He has become like a brother to me. When Liam was absent, he'd be the one I'd turn to when I needed it. I even introduced him to his first wife, Marian._ "

"That's Roland's mother, right?"

" _Aye. A charming lass. Robin informed me when I returned from Mexico that she passed away a few years ago._ "

"She was sick?"

" _Aye. It is quite sad. Not that I don't like Regina, mind you, but Marian was a bit special to me. Even though we were close in age, she would sometimes slip into a mother role for Liam and I. Robin says he emailed me shortly after her death to inform me, but I never received it._ "

"How did Robin cope when she died? It must have been devastating."

" _Indeed. I am ashamed that I wasn't here when it happened. But it brought him Regina. She helped him through the grief, and he eventually fell in love with her. And they have both been helping me adjust to life here. I am grateful to them. They are pretty much the only family I have._ "

Family. That word hits a nerve inside her.

"Killian, I wouldn't want to intrude on a family event. I won't know anybody there. I'll be an outsider."

" _Nonsense, love. I'd love for you to be there, and the same goes for Robin and Regina. In fact, Regina already considers you part of the family. She quite enjoyed the time you spent together. And if that's not enough to convince you, she told me, and I quote, that she'd come get you herself and carry your ass back to Ireland for the event if she has to._ "

Emma can't help the chuckle that escapes her. She still doesn't know Regina all that well, but it does sound like her. However, she is still hesitant about going despite Killian's assurances.

"Let me think about it?" she asks, unsure of his reaction.

She notices his face falling slightly in disappointment, but she's not sure she's seen correctly as it disappears just as quickly as it came, and he nods.

" _Aye, take any time you need_ ," he adds, but his voice sounds strained, laced with uncertainty.

She'd like nothing more than to ease his stress, but she really does need to think this over.

"Thanks," she acknowledges.

He nods again. " _Alright lass, I need to go, got some errands to run and Robin and Regina are expecting me for dinner. I'll talk to you later?_ "

"Yeah, talk to you later. Bye," she adds with a wave and a smile.

" _Bye_ ," he quickly says before interrupting the video call.

She frowns slightly at his hasty retreat. In the past, even if he was in a hurry, he had never dismissed her like this. He'd always take time to say a proper goodbye and make plans with her for their next conversation.

Maybe he is growing tired of her indecisiveness? Of trying to bring down her walls? Maybe in his mind it's just a wedding, he's only inviting her because Regina has kind of ordered him to.

No, that's not possible, she berates herself. He'd said he'd love it if she were there. He's made it quite clear – several times – that he'd like more than friendship with her.

Could it be fear that she'll reject him? She can't really blame him.

-K&E-

The week goes by in a blur of boxes, moving trucks and helping David settle into his job at the precinct.

David was only supposed to move the next weekend, but then his landlord had told him that he'd found new tenants for the apartment he was vacating and that they needed it immediately, so Emma, Mary Margaret and their friends all drove up to help him pack up.

She isn't avoiding Killian. She's just busy helping her friends out. The fact that she only provides short answers to his messages right before going to bed, when she knows he'll already be asleep, isn't avoidance at all. She's just tired and she knows he won't reply anyway. Nope, not avoiding at all. Just busy.

On Friday of the same week, Mary Margaret and David invite her over to dinner. She readily accepts. It is a quiet affair, but she enjoys this time spent with her friends. After the meal, the girls dismiss David, and they wash the dishes together.

"We haven't had much time to talk this week," Mary Margaret comments as she deposits a glass on the mat beside the sink.

That comment doesn't exactly feel light and without purpose to Emma.

"I know," she responds, slightly on her guard. "It's been a busy week."

"Indeed. Are you avoiding Killian?"

And there it is. Emma loves her friend, but her propensity to read her like an open book is sometimes irritating.

"I'm not avoiding him," she replies quickly.

Maybe too quickly, because her friend turns to her and looks as if she doesn't believe her.

"What?" she questions in a small voice when Mary Margaret won't turn away.

"Emma, what happened?" she prompts softly.

Emma eyes her friend for a moment, before dropping her towel on the counter and leaning against it with a sigh.

"Killian asked me to be his date for Robin and Regina's wedding."

Mary Margaret opens and shuts her mouth a few times, as if she's undecided as to whether or not she should say what's on her mind.

"You remember, in the plane, when we came back from Mexico?" she hesitates. "You asked me how I knew it was Killian when you received his message."

Emma nods, although a bit hesitant as she isn't sure where her friend is going with this.

"I knew, because your face lit up when you saw it."

She must look confused, because her friend keeps going.

"I've never seen you look so happy at a message you received from Neal," she clarifies gently.

Emma doesn't confirm or deny Mary Margaret's allegation, but it gets her to think. She tries to remember how she had felt when she had received Killian's message after landing. She recalls smiling and her eyes watering up. And warmth. He had cared enough to send her that message. He still does, because she had received a similar message after landing in Boston when she'd come back from Ireland.

"You like him, don't you, Emma?" Mary Margaret prompts softly.

The more she thinks about it, the more Emma finds it hard to deny it anymore. The pull, the longing she feels are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

She can only manage a nod to answer her friend's question, her emotions hitting her like a tsunami. Mary Margaret approaches and envelops her in a hug.

"Then I think you owe it to yourself, as well as Killian, to give romance a chance between you two."

"But-" Emma tries to protest as she pulls away from her friend.

"I know you're scared, Emma," Mary Margaret interrupts her. "Any relationship is scary. But don't you want to know how it would be with him?"

After a moment, Emma nods hesitantly.

"Then you'll never know if you don't try," her friend adds with a hopeful smile. "Be his date to his friend's wedding, and see how it goes. Just let things happen, do what feels natural. If you feel like touching him, then touch him. Don't let your fear of the distance hold you back. You'll be with him there; there will be no distance. You can deal with the distance issue only if you guys agree to give a relationship a try."

"Okay," Emma agrees, folding her arms around herself protectively.

"It will be alright, you'll see," Mary Margaret tries to comfort her, rubbing her hands up and down Emma's arms.

Emma nods again before taking a deep breath.

"It's getting late," she finally declares before making her way to the door. "I should go."

"Alright," her friend relents. "Drive safe."

"I will," she smiles slightly, then pulls the door open and exits the apartment.

The drive back to her apartment is uneventful. She finds a parking space easily, then walks inside the building and up the stairs to her floor. She feels a wave of panic trying to swallow her when she reaches the landing and almost runs to her door. Her hands are shaking as she tries to find her key. It takes a few tries, but she finally manages to unlock the door and step inside.

She leans her back against the closed door and takes a few deep breaths to try to calm down. She isn't exactly sure why she is suddenly panicking, but her stress over Killian's question certainly doesn't help. Her talk with Mary Margaret helped a little, she must admit that. But she still isn't sure of what to do.

Mary Margaret's words of just letting things happen and not let fear hold her back come back in her mind. She knows her friend is right. She needs to face that fear and tell it to leave her alone. She and Killian can try to figure out the distance thing if – when, she hopes deep down – they get there.

So she pulls out her phone.

**Hi, let me know when you have some time to talk. –E**

She drops it on the coffee table and makes her way to her bedroom to change into her pajamas. She hears her phone chirp with a new message as she is pulling her tank top over her head. So she finishes up and walks back into the living room. She is slightly nervous when she grabs her phone from the table.

_Good evening. I am free right now, if you'd like._ –K

**Skype? –E**

_As you wish._ –K

She opens the Skype application and sends him the video call invite.

"Hey," she greets him when he appears on her screen.

" _Good evening lass,_ " he responds with a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. " _How are you?_ "

"Tired, had a long week. And you?"

" _Just fine, thank you. To what do I owe the pleasure?_ "

She notes a slight bitterness in the way he says "pleasure" and cringes. She only has herself to blame.

"I'm sorry, Killian," she says quietly, looking away.

She hears him sigh.

" _What for?_ " he inquires when she doesn't elaborate.

She takes a deep breath, gathering her courage. "For avoiding you this week. It was unfair of me. I should have talked to you about my concerns instead of avoiding the subject, and you, altogether."

He looks at her silently for a moment. She gathers he is deciding as to whether or not he'll forgive her.

" _Apology accepted,_ " he finally says. " _Is this your way of letting me down gently?_ " he adds, unsure, when she doesn't speak again right away.

She bites on her lower lip. "No. In fact, I wanted to tell you that I'll go. To Regina and Robin's wedding. With you."

He lets out a big whoosh of hair, as if he had been holding his breath in anticipation. And then his lips stretch in a large, happy smile.

" _You have no idea how happy that makes me, Emma,_ " he admits.

She can hear the relief in his voice.

"Good," she smiles.

And she is genuinely happy that she has made him this happy. And she can't help but wonder how he'll react when – if – she'll tell him she wants to try at a relationship with him.

For the first time in a long time, she has hope that things will work out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review? :o)


	24. Diez y nueve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Here is chapter 19! Killruddery House and the Grain Store are real places, where you can really hold a wedding. Just making the research and writing about it made me dream of my own wedding there! Lol. Alright, I'll let you read. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT, the characters, Disney, etc.

**Chapter 19**

The plane touching down jolts her awake. She sleepily rubs at her eyes before looking outside the window. She is back in Dublin. And it is now a matter of minutes before she sees Killian again.

She is nervous. She is excited. She isn't quite sure which one it is, because as happy as she is to see him again, to spend time with him again, she is also apprehensive. She wants to know how it could be to _be_ with him, to be more than friends, but she isn't sure how to voice it.

When she sees him in the arrivals area, she feels nothing but happiness and warmth. She barely holds herself back from just running into his arms. She walks to him as calmly as she can and when he opens his arms for a hug, she goes willingly. They hug slightly longer than friends should, but it doesn't bother her.

"Hello love," he greets her with a large smile when they pull away.

"Hi," she greets back shyly.

"How was your flight?" he asks as he reaches for her suitcase's handle.

"Uneventful," she replies, nervously pulling a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was able to sleep, this time."

"Good," he scratches behind his ear.

What could he be nervous about?

"I hope you'll forgive me, love," he continues after a moment of silence. "But I accidentally mentioned to Regina that you weren't able to find a suitable dress in Boston for the wedding, and she insisted to take you shopping. And her only opening in her schedule is today."

She sighs. "It's a good thing I slept on the plane, then," she comments wryly.

He gasps. "You're not mad?"

She chuckles. "No, why would I be? I mean, it was the plan to go shopping anyway, I'll just be going one day earlier, and with someone else."

"Alright then," he sighs in relief. "Ready to go?"

She nods, and they start walking. She suddenly feels the irresistible urge to hold his hand. She thinks back on Mary Margaret's advice to do what feels natural… Holding his hand feels like something natural. She has been aching to do that since her last visit. So she decides to grab the bull by the horns and takes his hand, interlacing their fingers. He looks up at her in surprise, and she gives him a shy smile in response. He stops walking and locks his gaze to hers for a moment, seemingly searching for something. He seems to find what he's looking for, because he smiles back, brings her hand up to his lips to kiss her knuckles, and resumes walking. They hold hands throughout the drive to his house, only letting go when they arrive to get out of the car and pull her bags inside.

He makes his way upstairs, luggage in hands, and she follows him into the guest bedroom. She is tempted to tell him to just put everything in his bedroom, but holds herself back, thinking it would be best to do this one step at a time. No need to overwhelm each other with her sudden change of heart.

"What time is Regina picking me up?" she asks as she watches him lift her bigger suitcase on the bed.

Just then, they hear a knock at the front door.

"That must be her," Killian answers with a chuckle. "I'll go and let her in."

Emma nods, watching him slowly approaching her.

"I'll change and be right down," she says in a low voice, grabbing his hands when he is within reaching distance.

Honestly, she's not sure who reaches for whose hands. They are like magnets, irresistibly pulled to each other's.

He steps closer to her silently. He is so close that their torsos are almost touching. She can feel his soft breathing on her face. Their noses make contact; they rub them together in an eskimo kiss. She pulls slightly away to look up into his eyes again, and sees nothing but affection in them. Affection for her. She feels her heart swell at the thought. She sees him lick his lips and start to lean in -

"Emma?!" Regina's impatient voice floats up from downstairs.

That breaks their spell. Killian chuckles, touching his forehead to hers.

"I'll be right down, Regina," she calls back.

They don't say anything else as he pulls away; he leaves a soft kiss to her cheek, and then exits the room. She takes a deep breath and smiles before stepping up to her suitcase.

She walks downstairs a few minutes later and finds Regina and Killian talking quietly.

"Everything okay?" she asks them, grabbing her red leather jacket from the hook by the door.

"Absolutely," Regina turns to her. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah, let's go," she nods.

Regina nods back and walks out the door after a brief wave goodbye in Killian's direction. Emma lingers back, wanting more of the intimacy they seem to be falling into quite easily.

"Hurry back," he whispers as she steps close to him.

She nods quickly and drops a quick kiss at the corner of his lips before making her way out of the door. She turns around to pull the door close, sending a small, shy wave his way right before it clicks shut. When she turns around, she finds Regina standing beside her car, smirking.

"What?" Emma asks slightly defensively.

"Nothing," Regina replies innocently, raising her hands in sign of surrender.

It is just as Emma is about to quit that she finally finds the perfect dress: a pleated, red maxi dress, the bodice crossing on her chest to reach behind her neck in a clasp. Her back is naked except for the lace trimming starting from the clasp, going down her shoulder blades to the side of her ribs, and then continuing down to frame her lower back. Regina whistles when she comes out of the changing room.

"This is perfect," Emma comments while admiring her figure in the full length mirror.

"Impeccable," Regina agrees. "Killian won't know what hit him. And you'll fit with the color scheme. Do you need anything else?"

"No," Emma responds, blushing slightly and turning her attention to her friend. "I'm all set. All that was missing was the dress."

"Good, then. Let's get this wrapped up so I can drive you back to your Romeo."

Emma feels her blush deepen. "He's not –"

"Oh, stop it, Emma," Regina interrupts with a knowing look. "I saw you two before we left his house. It looks like you changed your mind about him."

Emma bites on her lower lip, thinking on how to respond to that.

"Maybe," she finally lets out. "My friend Mary Margaret, she told me that I'll never know what it's like with him unless I try. To stop being afraid. That we can deal with the distance issue if it comes to that."

Regina nods. "Wise words."

"I guess," Emma smiles slightly.

When neither of them has talked for a moment, Emma goes back into the changing room to change back into her regular clothes.

The cashier makes quick work of ringing up her purchase, so they are soon on their way back to Killian's house. Regina quickly drops her off, as she has an appointment to get to. Emma knocks lightly before pushing the door open. Killian joins her just as she closes the door.

"Hello again love," he greets her softly. "I see it was a fruitful endeavor."

"Indeed," she replies with a smile, stepping closer to him.

He circles her waist with his left arm, his right hand reaching for the garment bag's zipper.

"May I see?" he asks cheekily.

"Uh huh," she shakes her head negatively, pulling the garment bag behind her back. "It's a surprise."

He playfully pouts.

"Nope, that won't work," she giggles. "You'll see it the day of the wedding, and that's final."

She playfully pulls her tongue at him before racing upstairs.

"You're a tease, Swan!" he calls after her.

She only laughs in response.

-K&E-

The days leading to the wedding are spent in a bubble of happiness for Emma. She feels right at home with Killian. Now that she has decided to act on her feelings, he certainly isn't shy in showing his in turn. He is so affectionate and attentive with her, she can barely believe her luck.

On the third night, she is lying in the guest bedroom's bed, unable to sleep. She misses Killian's proximity so much. They had fallen asleep together on the couch earlier that evening, and she hadn't felt so well rested in a very long time. It's like her body has already gotten used to his presence in her sleep, and she can't sleep anymore without him.

Deciding to take another step in her relationship with Killian, she gets out of bed and slowly walks to his bedroom.

She had as much as stayed away from the door on her last visit, afraid of just throwing caution to the wind and give in to her feelings when she wasn't ready.

She finds a "Captain's Quarters" plaque on the slightly ajar door and it makes her smile. She knocks lightly before pushing her way in a little to see if Killian is asleep. She finds him sitting up in bed with a book. He looks up at her knock.

"Hello love," he greets her, discarding his book and getting up from the bed. "Can't sleep?" he asks as he hugs her.

"No," she responds, hugging him back. "I missed you."

He chuckles. "I missed you too. I couldn't sleep either without you in my arms."

Emma blushes lightly and looks away as she pulls out of the hug. And then she notices the wallpaper on the wall opposite to the bed: a large ship takes up most of the space, and the backdrop looks like a map drawn on parchment.

"Killian, this is-" she starts, but she is unable to find the words to properly describe what she is seeing.

"Gorgeous, isn't it?" he finishes. "I don't know where Liam found this wallpaper, but he did a fine job."

Emma can only nod, still stunned at the sight. She pulls herself out of it after a moment, when her eyes land on the dark wooden floor, and then on the bed. The large bed, that looks even larger than a king-size.

She tries not to let her mind wander to the other activities that can be done besides sleeping.

The mattress is encased in a black leather frame. The headboard seems high enough to be comfortable to sit up and read. The shelf covered in books that is right above certainly makes it look cozy. Black sheets and a white comforter cover the mattress, along with a black afghan. She spies a few red throw pillows on the floor by the bedside table that must be bringing a touch of color to the otherwise quite monochrome décor.

"Do you like it?" Killian asks softly from beside her, sounding unsure.

She can certainly understand why. He wants her to feel at home here. He might even be ready to make any changes she wishes to make sure she is comfortable.

"I love it," she responds reassuringly.

She sees his shoulders drop in relief before he reaches for her.

"Come on love, let's try to get some sleep," he gently urges her to the bed.

She is out like a light when her head finds his shoulder.

-K&E-

_Day of the wedding – Morning_

Emma wakes up to the feel of a warm body against her back, an arm heavily resting against her side. When she opens her eyes, it is to almost darkness. Some sunlight is filtering around the heavy curtains, allowing her a faint view of her now almost familiar surroundings: Killian's bedroom. She smiles sleepily at the thought and tries to burrow herself even further against him, as if that were possible. He stirs and tightens his hold on her, leaving a kiss against her shoulder.

"Good morning," he greets, his accent thicker from sleep.

God, she loves that accent.

"Good morning," she greets back in a low voice.

"What time is it?"

She stretches her arm to reach her phone that is resting on the bedside table.

"Almost 11," she replies, turning the screen back off and putting the phone back down.

She turns around in his arms to face him and kisses him briefly. He moans at the contact. She feels his leg trying to pry hers apart, and when he succeeds, he slips his through. She then feels his free hand slide down her side to her knee, which he then pulls to bring her thigh against his hip. She reaches around him to pull herself closer, so that their torsos touch. The contact of her breasts against his chest sends tingles down her spine. She bites on her lower lip to keep herself from moaning. Killian nuzzles her neck, and then starts slowly kissing up her jaw, then her cheeks, her forehead, her nose. She lightly presses her nails into the skin at his back in impatience. He chuckles.

"Eager, aren't we?" he mumbles against her neck.

"Just kiss me," she whispers urgently.

"As you wish," he manages to say before she assaults his lips.

The kiss starts soft, but it quickly becomes filled with hunger. The air charges with electricity, ready to strike at any second. Killian's hand tangles itself in her hair. She feels his fingertips against her scalp and she moans, the heat she feels coursing through her veins from there feels delicious, addictive. She can feel him growing harder against her stomach. The thought of having such power over him makes her feel beautiful, confident. She pulls herself closer to him with her leg around his hip, lightly rubbing herself against his hardness. He groans against her lips then pulls away, just enough to breathe.

"You are a temptress," he says in a hoarse voice.

His hand leaves her hair and slides down to her thigh, then up and under her short, giving her ass cheek a light squeeze. She moans at that before leaning in to catch his lips again, her hand going up to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. When he leaves her lips to trail down her jaw and neck, she slowly trails her hand down his back, then brings it to his chest, caressing up and down until she reaches the waistband of his briefs, at which point he grabs her hand, lacing their fingers together, but continues his assault on her neck. When she tries to free her hand, he holds on tight.

"Why won't you let me touch you?" she asks in a breathless voice.

He sighs in her neck before looking up to her.

He gives her a searing kiss before speaking. "Do not doubt that I want you, love. I do. Very much. But I intend to take my time with you, and we do not have time for this right now."

She blushes lightly. He gives her another light kiss, smirking when he pulls back.

"Come on love, let's have some breakfast, then we need to start getting ready. We need to be at the church by 2. We'll pick this up later," he adds with a wink.

She grins before kissing him quickly and detangling their limbs.

"I'll meet you downstairs," she tells him as she stands from the bed.

"Okay love," he accepts, standing too and grabbing his pants from the floor.

She walks into the guest bedroom to grab some clothes from her suitcase, and then goes to take a shower. She meticulously washes her hair, so it takes her slightly longer than usual in the shower, but she leaves it to air dry. When she reaches the last steps of the stairs on her way down, she is greeted by the smell of bacon.

"Are you trying to fatten me up so that I won't fit in my dress anymore?" she says at Killian's ear while hugging him from behind, obviously catching him by surprise from his light jump.

"Never. I just know you love bacon," he replies, turning his head so their lips can meet briefly.

Emma then pulls away and pours herself some coffee. As she sits down, Killian deposits a plate in front of her and leans in for another kiss. He hums.

"I'll never get tired of this," he quips with a wink before turning back to the stove to get his own plate.

Warning bells start to sound in Emma's mind, but she stubbornly ignores them. She knows that they need to talk about whatever is going on, but it's not the time. Not yet.

-K&E-

Putting the finishing touches to her make-up, Emma steps back from the mirror to give herself a once-over before joining Killian downstairs. Satisfied with the result, she grabs her clutch, makes sure she has everything she needs, and then exits the room.

From the top landing, she can see Killian nervously pacing in the downstairs hallway. She smirks, amused, before slowly making her descent. Killian appears at the bottom of the stairs swiftly and gapes when his eyes land on her. He silently offers his hand when she is within reach to help her down the last few steps. Once she is safely beside him, he still remains silent, his gaze locked on her. Emma can't help the feeling of pride that rises inside her, although she never thought she could render a man speechless like this.

She chuckles lightly, and it seems to bring him out of whatever daze he was is.

"You look stunning, Swan," he comments quietly, running his gaze once again up and down her form.

"Thank you," she acknowledges, squeezing his hand lightly. "You don't look too bad yourself."

He looks handsome in his black suit, shirt and tie, the only touch of color being the red pocket handkerchief.

"I am devilishly handsome, if I do say so myself," he responds with a wink.

Emma laughs.

"I have something for you," he adds quietly.

As he reaches into his pocket, she notices he is shaking lightly. She wonders what makes him nervous. And then he presents her with a charm bracelet, a single charm hanging from it.

"Killian…" she breathes out, stunned. "It's beautiful."

He smiles shyly, reaching up to scratch behind his ear.

"The charm is a feather," he explains. "I bought it in Playa Del Carmen."

Emma looks up at him sharply at these words, not quite sure what to think.

"Feathers are delicate and strong," he continues. "I immediately thought of you when I saw it. May I?"

She only nods, still unable to utter a word. Once the clasp is fastened, she raises her arm for closer inspection. The bracelet is a silver-plated snake chain, and the feather charm is a coppery color. She loves it.

And she feels herself falling a little more for this man.

Still speechless at his gift, she pulls him down for a soft kiss, her hand at the back of his head. As the kiss starts to get heated, he groans and pulls away slightly.

"We should go," he pants, resting his forehead against hers.

"Okay," she whispers.

Killian leans in for another quick kiss, to her delight, then grabs her hand and heads for the door.

They make it in enough time to the church for Emma to pay a quick visit to Regina before the ceremony begins. The bride is calm enough, although anxious to get the ball rolling. Emma is then introduced to Zelena, Regina's sister and maid of honor. The woman seems nice enough, though they don't have much time to talk as Regina soon urges Emma to her seat.

"Central aisle, 4th pew to the right, you can't miss it," Regina firmly states.

"Regina, I can just grab a seat at the back," Emma starts to protest.

"You're the best man's date and a close friend of mine and Robin's; I will not have you sit at the back."

Emma is slightly overwhelmed at the close friend comment, but doesn't protest any further and gets on her way.

It is a few minutes after Emma has sat – she really couldn't miss the seat, what with her name plastered everywhere – that the ceremony starts. Robin and Killian first enter then Zelena, and finally Regina, holding Roland's hand, the boy being the ring bearer. Once they have made it to the front, Regina urges Roland towards Killian, who picks up the rings from the small pillow. He then whispers something at the boy's ear while pointing in her general direction. Roland nods and turns around excitedly.

"Emma!" he exclaims loudly before running to her.

The church erupts in laughter while Emma blushes lightly, but she picks up the boy when he gets to her.

"Hey kid," she greets him in a whisper once she has him settled on her hip. "Let's watch your papa and Regina get married, shall we?"

Roland nods. "You look pwetty, Emma," he tries to whisper at her ear.

"Thank you," she whispers back with a wide smile before dropping a kiss to his cheek.

The boy giggles.

Throughout the ceremony, she notices that Killian can't seem to keep his eyes off of her. While she knows he should be paying attention to what's going on beside him in order to step in when needed, she finds she rather likes his attention. He even shoots her a wink once or twice, making her blush lightly. She feels like a school girl with her first crush, but she can't help it… and she doesn't quite care. She is happy, that's all that matters.

The ceremony goes by without a hitch, and before she knows it, Emma is following the other guests outside. She quickly finds Killian among the crowd and goes to him.

"Hello love," he greets when he sees her and puts his arm around her back. "I've missed you," he adds quietly.

"It has only been an hour or so," she responds just as quietly.

"So?" he asks, quirking up an eyebrow.

Emma tries to hold back the smile threatening to erupt by biting on her lower lip, but is quite unsuccessful. She can't help either the giggle that escapes her. Killian chuckles and pulls her closer into him.

"Don't you two look cozy," Regina comments. "You know this is our wedding and not yours?"

Emma can only manage a blush at that.

"Come on, you two, let's get in the limo," Regina tells them before turning around.

"I'm riding with you guys?" Emma asks Killian in surprise.

"Aye," is all Killian responds.

She isn't quite sure what to make of this. It all seems so normal to them… maybe she should stop questioning their motives and enjoy herself. She can hear Mary Margaret's voice in her head telling her that not everyone is out to get her. For once, she decides to agree with that voice.

So, she happily follows Killian to the limo and accepts the hand he is lending to help her inside the car before sliding in himself.

A bottle of champagne is opened while the limo takes them to the venue. They toast the newly married couple, to the maid of honor –

"I would like to propose a toast," Regina exclaims after sipping at her glass, "to the best man and his date. May the current of the sea turn in your favor."

Emma feels a lump forming in her throat from the onslaught of emotions hitting her. She doesn't quite know how to handle her friends' support.

"Are you alright?" Killian asks her, lightly grabbing her chin to make eye contact with her.

She can only manage a nod and a small smile. He observes her for a moment and nods in turn when he finds she is telling the truth, and then leans in for a light, searing kiss. She is slightly breathless when she pulls away, but oh so happy.

-K&E-

While the bridal party is busy taking pictures, Emma walks slowly towards the building in which the party will take place: Killruddery House. An old, castle-like manor made of grey stone, with a large courtyard. The place must be beautiful in the sun, she thinks as she walks.

She follows directions to the Grain Store, which is where the party will occur. She then finds out that she will be sitting at the same table as Killian, which is with the bride, groom and maid of honor. Before she has time to question this, Zelena and Killian, and then Regina and Robin are introduced. Killian quickly kisses her then pulls her chair so that she may sit.

When it is almost time for his speech, Killian turns to Emma, seeking her help to calm down.

"I'm not much for speeches," he tells her between two deeps breaths.

"I know," Emma replies, rubbing up and down his back. "But remember, your speech is great, we rehearsed it together. Everything will be fine."

And just as predicted, Robin loves it. It has just the right amount of emotion and humor. Emma even spies a few women wiping at their eyes when Killian mentions that Robin is like a second brother and how grateful he is to have him in his life. The two men share a tight hug once Killian is done.

Throughout the meal, Emma finds herself lost in her own little world with Killian. Their chairs are pulled close together; they talk quietly between bites of food.

Emma has never felt so in sync with someone. She feels that Killian truly understands her, that he will respect any boundaries she will put up… although she isn't sure what kind of limits she could put up at this point. He has earned her trust through and through.

She also can't wait for what's to come after the wedding. His promise from the morning is running around in her head in a loop, and his constant touching certainly doesn't help her forget. Whenever one of his hands is not busy, it is touching her: her knee, her back, her thigh. She can't help but think that she shouldn't be encouraging him, but she can't help it. She craves him, his touch, to the point that whenever he is not touching her for any period of time, she almost feels like going through withdrawals. It is kind of scary, but she just… wants him. All of him, all to herself, for however long he'll have her.

When the cake comes out, they each get a piece. When they sit back down in their seats, Killian pushes his piece further away and grabs his fork, slowly tearing off a bite of her own piece, and then feeding it to her. She holds his gaze when he slowly pulls the fork from her lips, and she can see his eyes darken. She mirrors him and feeds him a bite from his own piece. She can't help biting down on her lower lip to stop herself from moaning at the sight of his tongue slowly licking at the remaining crumbs on his lips.

Killian suddenly reaches out and pulls her chair even closer to his, and her legs become trapped between his. They are almost nose to nose. His free hand slowly starts to rub her outer thigh as he tears another bite off of the piece of cake, and she can feel tingles start to run up and down her back, and heat pooling in her belly. When it is her turn to feed him a bite, she lightly puts down her hand on his thigh, slowly slides it to his inner thigh and starts a light caress with her fingertips. Despite the ambient noise, she can hear his groan and she almost giggles with pride. As he chews on his piece, he stabs the remaining bite on the plate and feeds it to her impatiently. He then takes a big sip of his champagne and stands up, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the dance floor. When he pulls her against him roughly, she can't hold back her giggle.

"You're proud of yourself, aren't you love?" he accuses her playfully.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she declares with fake innocence.

"Minx," he accuses with slightly narrowed eyes.

She laughs then squeals as he dips her down. When he pulls her back up, she laughs again and tries to create some space between them, his proximity distracting. However, the alcohol and atmosphere make her relax. She doesn't pay attention to the music playing, and neither does he, apparently, as they only sway, enjoying each other's proximity. They get closer to each other with each sway, until they are so close that Emma isn't sure where she ends and he begins. She touches her temple to his, bringing a hand up to the nape of his neck. She feels him slightly turning his head and touching his lips to her skin there. She closes her eyes at the contact, pure happiness and contentment flowing over her.

She forgets about her life in Boston, she forgets about her surroundings. She forgets about everything but him. He dips her down again, slowly this time, and buries his face in her neck for a moment, breathing her in. Looking up, she can see the starlit night above them through the glass ceiling. She feels like they are floating, alone among the stars.

It has never felt like this with Neal. There was a spark, for some time, but it was nothing compared to this. This is like fireworks. And she doesn't want it to end.

When he pulls her back up, he holds her tight against his body. She can feel the tension in his muscles. He holds her gaze; she doesn't dare look away. She doesn't want to anyway. She wants to get lost in these blue eyes and never be found. And then he slowly leans in. She holds her breath, slowly closes her eyes, mirroring him. And their lips touch. His kiss is hesitant at first, but when she grabs at his jacket's lapels, it is like she has unleashed a beast. He devours her lips like there is no tomorrow. He holds her against him as if he were afraid she's going to run away.

And then it hits her. He _is_ afraid she will run. She needs to find a way to prove she's here to stay.

"Ahem," Emma hears someone loudly clear their throat.

She quickly pulls away from Killian and turns to the person interrupting them. Regina is standing there, smirking, arms crossed. Emma blushes lightly at having been caught, but she is in no way ashamed. She hears Killian chuckle.

"Must I remind you of where you are?" Regina asks semi-seriously.

Emma shakes her head no.

"Sorry," she feels compelled to add, but not meaning it at all.

Regina's smirk only grows.

"Just go," she orders amicably. "I know you want to be anywhere but here."

"Regina-" Emma tries to protest.

"I don't want to hear it. Go."

"Better to obey, love," Killian adds playfully, releasing her from his grip.

Emma nods and then walks to Regina.

"Congratulations again," she tells her friend, reaching for a hug.

"Thank you," Regina acknowledges, hugging back. "We'll see you both soon."

Emma nods, pulling out of the hug. Killian hugs Regina in turn and lightly kisses her cheek, then grabs Emma's hand and they make their way out of the room. He calls for a taxi as they slowly walk to the front of the main building.

In the car, the tension is so thick that it could be cut with a knife. Emma is high on anticipation, her fingers drumming an unknown beat against Killian's thigh. He grabs her fingers at some point and brings them up to his lips, kissing them while staring deep into her eyes. She leans in for a kiss and moans when their lips touch, a bolt of arousal speeding through her body. Fortunately, it isn't long before they arrive at Killian's house. He quickly pays the driver and eagerly pulls her up the driveway.

Once inside, her pushes her against the closed front door and attacks her lips, his warm hands splaying against her naked back. She shivers, pulling herself tighter against him. She moans when he pushes his tongue against her lips, seeking entrance. She happily grants it, their tongues duelling for dominance. And then he suddenly pulls away slightly, staring at her breathlessly.

"What?" she asks, also out of breath, when he doesn't speak.

"Just trying to get back some control here, love," he explains in a low voice, his eyes wandering over her face.

"Control?" she questions.

"Aye," he nods. "Just enough to get upstairs."

She smirks lightly.

"Take me here. Right now."

He groans, closing his eyes.

"Emma," he growls, touching his forehead to hers. "I promised you this morning that I would take my time with you, and that's exactly what I intend to do."

"You do realize this isn't our first time together, right?" she feels the need to ask, suddenly feeling like he might regret their time in Mexico.

"Aye. Don't get me wrong love, I do not regret anything that happened in Mexico," he adds, as if sensing her fear. "But this is how it should have happened. Let me worship you the way you deserve."

Worship her. No one has ever treated sex as being an act of worship. At least with her.

When she says nothing, he gives her a small smile, grabs her hand and slowly pulls her up the stairs, his eyes never leaving her. When they step into his bedroom, she suddenly feels shy; she doesn't quite know what to do. Killian pulls her in his embrace again, one hand slowly rubbing up and down her back.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" he whispers.

"Not in the last hour or so," she whispers back, fighting the smile threatening to break out.

"You are absolutely stunning, Emma," he whispers again, serious. "I still can't quite believe you are here."

"I am here," she responds immediately, hearing the disbelief in his tone. She brings a hand up to his cheek. "And I'm not going anywhere," she adds seriously, holding his gaze.

It is a moment before he nods.

"I want you," he suddenly declares in a broken voice, sounding desperate.

"Then take me," she accepts. She can hear her own desperation in her voice.

The words are barely spoken that his lips are on hers again and she whimpers loudly at the contact. She grips his lapels to gain back some sort of hold on reality. One of her hands trails up to the back of his hair and suddenly, she needs to feel more of him. She slides her hands under his jacket and pushes it off his shoulders. His hands leave her body for only a second, but it's enough for her to feel cold. As if sensing that, he immediately reaches for her again, one of his hands going to her back, and the other strokes her arm. She can feel goosebumps rising on her flesh from anticipation. The hand at her back slowly descends to eventually reach her ass and he gives it a firm squeeze. A breathless moan escapes her. His hand slowly ascends again, this time going to her ribs, his thumb reaching inside the fabric and lightly grazing the side of her breast.

Their lips disconnect and she looks at him. His eyes are dark with lust, pupils black from desire. She can feel the same desire coursing through her veins, wanting to take control. And she lets it. Her hand reaches for his tie, forcefully yanking on it to bring Killian's lips back down to hers. The kiss is rough, demanding as she undoes the knot of the tie. She feels her hair falling around her shoulders; he must have gone for her hair while she was distracted. She feels his fingers tangling in the waves as she reaches for the buttons of his shirt, but her hands are shaking so much that she breaks the kiss to concentrate on her task. She slowly caresses and kisses each new patch of skin she uncovers, as if unwrapping a gift. She wants to savour it, explore it.

When she reaches the bottom of the shirt, Killian pulls her hands on his chest while he finishes the task himself, throwing the shirt away and gathering her back in his arms right away as he reaches for the clasp of her dress. She feels the material give, only held in place by the lack of space between their bodies.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Killian suddenly asks.

She can see uncertainty through the fire in his gaze, and she hates herself for planting a seed of doubt in his mind. She cups his face with one hand and he leans into her touch, his eyes closing.

"I've never been more sure of anything," she responds softly, but with certainty.

He observes her for a moment, no doubt trying to find the lie in her words. When he doesn't find it, he nods and his eyes become filled with the same fire as earlier. She has never felt more desired than in that moment.

He disconnects their torsos and the fabric follows gravity's pull, leaving her only in her matching red panties and heels. She feels more than hears the growl in his chest as their skins make contact again. It feels like flames are enveloping them. She can feel herself burning for his touch, for him.

She leans in again to kiss him, one of her hands sliding up to the nape of his neck and the other tangling in his chest hair. His hands are everywhere, lighting her skin on fire. Suddenly, she feels herself being lowered down and a second later, she feels fabric pressing against her back. She doesn't quite understand how, but she hadn't even noticed them moving towards the bed.

This way, she can feel even more of Killian against her, more of his weight, and she welcomes it. She has never desired a man as much as him. Not only has she never met a man quite like him – patient, gentle, passionate – but the chemistry between them is undeniable. Always on a simmer when they are doing more mundane things, the heat going up when they touch, boiling when they kiss. But she had never thought that an explosion would be far from being appropriate when it comes to making love. An explosion it had been for their first time together in Mexico, but this? This is a supernova, the burn so intense she isn't sure it will ever stop. And she doesn't want it to.

Her senses are heightened, her skin, hypersensitive. She can feel each inhale and exhale, every brush of his skin against hers. She wants to drown in the sensations, to get lost in his embrace and never be found.

When his hand and mouth latch onto her breast, she can't hold back her cry of ecstasy, bolt after bolt of pleasure hitting her at his ministrations. When he switches to her other breast, she tries to pull him up, needing his lips on hers, but fails.

"Killian," she breathes out to gain his attention.

But he doesn't react, continuing his worship. His renewed vigor however tells her that he did hear her a moment earlier. She is aching for him, for his skin, for his touch, for his body. With determination, she pulls on his biceps as hard as she can, one of her hands switching to his hair when he lets go of her breast to guide him up to her lips. He groans at the contact, one of his hands tangling in her hair.

"I wasn't quite done," he mumbles against her lips.

"Stop teasing," she argues, chasing his lips.

He chuckles but indulges her. But he is still holding himself away from her. She needs to feel all of him, to feel him everywhere. She circles his waist with her legs and pulls. They both moan when his erection presses against her center. She can't wait to feel him inside her again.

She goes to grab at his ass, but comes into contact with fabric.

"Too many clothes on," she complains when his lips leave hers momentarily to trail to her ear and to that spot behind her ear that is surprisingly very arousing for her.

He chuckles again without moving to remove any of his remaining clothes.

"Killian, I need you," she whimpers, scratching lightly at his back.

"Impatient, aren't we, love?" he asks with a mischievous grin when he leaves her skin to look at her.

"I need you," she repeats.

She can hear the desperation in her own voice. She is aching for him like she has never ached for anyone before. She needs to feel him fill her. To feel him complete her.

"I want to take my time with you," he repeats his earlier promise.

"We'll have time for that later," she argues. "I really need to feel you inside. Right now."

"Emma-" he tries to argue in turn.

"Killian, please," she begs.

He observes her for a moment, then nods, pushing himself up. She follows his movement and reaches for his belt buckle, swiftly undoing it then the button and zipper. And then she pulls down his briefs far enough to reach for his erection and gives it a few strokes before he stops her. She looks up at him, slightly confused.

"If you don't want me to finish right away, love, please give me a moment," he tells her gently with a wink.

She bites at her lower lip and nods. He kisses her swiftly before standing up to push his pants and briefs down his legs. She waits for him at the edge of the bed, observing him, watching his muscles ripple under his skin as he moves.

When he stretches back up, he looks down at her, not at all ashamed of his naked state. He is such a handsome man, she thinks as she lets her eyes wander his body.

She reaches out for him. He takes her offered hand and she guides him to sit on the edge of the bed, then she straddles him, her arms circling his neck. As she starts to sink down on him, one of his hands grabs her ass to still her.

"What's wrong?" she asks softly.

"Nothing," he is quick to reassure her. "But… shouldn't we use protection?"

"You're clean, right?" she asks, and he nods. "Has there been anyone else since that time in Mexico?" He shakes his head no. "Me neither. I'm on the pill, and I'm clean too. I trust you."

He takes a deep breath before nodding. "Alright then," he uselessly adds before guiding her down on his hardness.

Once he is fully sheathed inside her, the ache in her lower belly comes back with a vengeance, stronger than before. She wants to bask in the feeling, to remain like this, in his embrace for a moment longer, her nose against his cheek, breathing him in, but she needs to move. She needs to feel his length brushing against her walls and the friction of her pelvis against his. So she tentatively moves up, then back down. She repeats the movement slowly at first. Feeling the heat rising, she increases her speed slightly, lost in the emotions currently being evoked inside her.

One of her hands moves to his knee to gain more leverage.

"That's it love," she hears him say.

She moans, throwing her head back. His words encourage her, make her bolder. She increases her speed again, chasing her finish line. One of his hands grabs her breast, and she finds herself further stimulated, getting closer and closer. His lips latch onto her neck. That combined with the scratch of his scruff against her skin heighten her pleasure.

Her movements become erratic; she can't keep up with the rhythm anymore. She whimpers, wanting desperately to reach her end, to feel more heat, to feel more of him. Fortunately, Killian seems to pick up on her predicament as he uses his free hand to help her move over him.

She can feel the elastic tightening in her belly, getting ready to snap. Her moans become louder, her movements become even more erratic. She suddenly feels Killian's thumb rubbing at her oversensitive bundle of nerves and she is gone. All she feels is intense heat washing over her in never ending waves. She sees bright light behind her closed eyelids, as if she were in the middle of an exploding star.

As she comes down from her high, she feels herself being moved around and lowered onto her back. Killian quickly follows, kissing her passionately before sheathing himself again inside her. She moans loudly at the intrusion, her nerve endings still hypersensitive from her previous orgasm.

He drives into her, but she can feel him holding himself back.

"I'm not made of glass," she whispers at his ear.

The words have the desired effect as he starts moving with abandon. She can feel the heat start pooling again in her belly, highly aroused by her lover's passion. Before she knows it, a second orgasm hits her, just as strong as the first one. She quickly gains back control over her senses, wanting to witness Killian's release. A moment later, he comes with her name on his lips and a groan. He pushes into her a few more times before stilling, burying his face into her neck. She softly kisses his damp hair, caressing his back.

When his breathing is somewhat back to normal, he raises his head and looks down at her.

"Are you alright?" he asks quietly.

She detects worry in his voice. She smiles up at him, nodding her head. He smiles back before leaning down for a languorous kiss. It quickly heats up. Emma's hands wander down to his ass, pulling him into her. She can feel him harden again inside her.

"Bloody hell," he swears as he detaches his lips from hers. "You are insatiable."

Emma can only grin mischievously before chasing his lips again.

-K&E-

She wakes with a start. Slowly opening her eyes, she takes in her surroundings, recognizing Killian's bedroom. She is unsure as to what woke her, but she feels slight panic in her chest. She closes her eyes and tries to take deep breaths to calm down. As if sensing her distress, Killian's arms tighten around her and he buries his nose further into her hair.

"I love you, Emma," she hears faintly from behind her.

She freezes, wondering if he is awake. When he doesn't make another sound, she concludes that he is still asleep. She relaxes slightly. She isn't quite ready to voice the words, but she knows she reciprocates the feeling. She just needs a bit more time.

She slowly untangles herself from Killian's arms so as to not wake him, and then gathers her panties, dress and shoes before retreating to the guest bedroom, where her belongings had remained. She pulls on a pair of clean panties and a t-shirt before making her way downstairs to get a glass of water, feeling suddenly thirsty. After a few sips, she finds herself quite awake, so she decides to wander around the house, if only to get another feeling of this house she has come to call home. At least in her mind.

Sometime later, she finds herself in the office upstairs. She is mesmerized by the moonlight filtrating through the blinds. With the dust flying in the room, it looks like magic. Trails of stardust left in the wake of magical beings rushing away from the room upon her arrival so as to not be seen.

She scoffs at her train of thoughts. Making love with Killian earlier seems to have really messed up her mind.

Because yes, this time, it was making love. And she would have never thought it could be this way. As promised, he had taken his time with her, and she couldn't have imagined anything better. He is a patient, passionate lover. She will never get enough of him, she is quite certain of that. Just as the thought enters her mind, she feels a strike of desire hit her, and she suddenly can't wait to go back to bed. She however decides to linger a little longer in the room to enjoy the quiet and moonlight. She sits in Killian's office chair, sipping at her water, when the corner of a picture suddenly captures her attention, sticking out from under other papers. She pulls it out and finds herself looking at her 16-year-old self.

"What the…" she trails off, pulling the sheet closer.

It is an article from a newspaper about her, painting her in a horrible light. She would have rather never see this article again. How did Killian find this? But mostly… why? Why does he have this article?

Feeling her anxiety rising, Emma shuffles through the papers on the desk, and finds some notes in Killian's handwriting about her. Some things she had told him in Mexico, and it looks like he tried to validate them.

Hadn't he believed her when she told him? Why would he do this?

Betrayal. She feels utterly and thoroughly heartbroken over her discovery. Angry tears roll down her cheeks but she hastily wipes them away, refusing to cry.

She should have known. She should have seen this coming. Everyone betrays her one way or another, and Killian is no exception.

She can't stay here anymore. She needs to leave as soon as possible.

She strides into the guest bedroom and pulls on the same outfit she had when she first arrived then calls the airline to change her return flight. She thanks the employee profusely when he is able to book her on the 6 AM flight to Boston. And then she calls Mary Margaret.

" _Emma, are you sure?_ " her friend asks worriedly. " _Shouldn't you talk to him about this?_ "

"I'm not sure of anything anymore, Mary Margaret, but I need to leave," Emma responds desperately, on the verge of tears.

" _Okay, okay. Emma, calm down,_ " Mary Margaret says softly. " _I'll be there when you land._ "

"Thanks."

" _You're welcome, see you soon._ "

She hangs up without adding anything else.

She lays on the bed and tries to get some more sleep, but it eludes her. All she can do is stare out the window from her spot on the bed and brush away at the tears that escape. When 2:30 AM rolls around, she gets up and calls for a taxi. Once that's done, she makes the bed before taking her bags downstairs. And then she pauses, her eyes drawn upstairs in the direction of Killian's bedroom. She needs to see him one last time. So she creeps back up and stops at the door jamb. He is lying on his stomach, the sheets pushed to his waist revealing the naked skin of his back. His face is turned towards the door: a frown wrinkles his features, and she wonders what has him so upset in his sleep. She wants nothing more than to ease that frown with a gentle caress of her hand, but she holds herself back. She can't afford to wake him and let him talk to her, let him convince her to stay. Because she knows he'll convince her if he catches her leaving.

"Goodbye Killian," she whispers brokenly before turning around and running back downstairs.

She exits the house as quickly and quietly as she can when she hears the taxi pull into the driveway.

She doesn't cry on the way to the airport. She doesn't cry during the flight. She doesn't cry on the drive back to her apartment. But when her apartment door closes behind her, the dam explodes, and she isn't sure she can stop it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me... Review? :o)


	25. Diez y nueve - KPOV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, so sorry for the long wait, things have been crazy around here. I was moving, so I needed to get everything ready, and then the move, and then getting settled in... which is not quite completed yet, but we can at least breathe and have some time off.
> 
> Alright, enough about me. Here is the next chapter, I know many of you were frustrated with the cliffhanger. I hope you like it.
> 
> Disclaimer: nope...

**Chapter 19A**

When he emerges from sleep, Killian can't hear a thing. The house is quiet… not that he expected anything different, but this is an eerie silence. It is just too quiet. And he feels oddly cold. He turns to the side Emma had been occupying the last few nights and finds it empty. He slowly reaches out to touch the sheets, already knowing that they are cold.

Dread fills his stomach as he sits up in bed.

He reaches for his boxer briefs and pulls them on before looking around the room. All of her things are gone. He then decides to check the guest bedroom, faintly hoping that she is in there getting ready for the day.

But he is sorely disappointed when he finds the door wide open, the bed neatly made, and all of her bags gone. There is no trace of Emma, except a faint remnant of her perfume.

Panic seizes him.

He runs downstairs, calling her name desperately. He gets no response besides the faint echo of his own voice.

He'd thought that maybe she had an emergency and needed to go back to Boston urgently, but was still waiting for him to wake up before leaving.

No.

She would have woken him up had that occurred, he realizes.

She's gone.

He takes a seat on the living room couch.

She left without a trace.

Throbbing pain suddenly shoots in his left hand. He tries to massage it, trying to think of what to do. But the pain is too strong, he can't concentrate. Only she could manage to make the pain disappear with her touch.

He makes his way to the upstairs bathroom in a haze. He doesn't recall opening the medicine cabinet and reaching for his bottle of painkillers. He mechanically fills the glass with water to wash down the pill. It's a pill that is hard to swallow, the lump in his throat is so large.

He doesn't understand. He just can't figure what happened for her to leave like this. He can't believe it.

He won't believe that she has left him like this with no explanation when just a few hours earlier, they were in bed together, worshipping each other, making love to each other. She had barely arrived that she had grabbed his hand and smiled at him in a way she had never smiled before: full of adoration and promises.

No, he won't let things end like this. He knows she has a tendency to run when emotions run too deep.

This gives him a flicker of hope. She must have realized something about them and instead of trying to talk it out with him, she let her fear of rejection and abandonment take over and she ran.

They had had such a wonderful evening the night before. He'd thought he was making progress in getting her to lower her walls and to trust him. He'd thought that in the few more days she would have been here, he would have succeeded in convincing her to give them a chance at a relationship despite the distance.

With that, he picks up his phone, opens WhatsApp and types a quick message, asking her what happened. He waits a few minutes, but no reply comes. He tries again, several times, with no success. She obviously wants no contact with him, but he can't quite understand why.

He needs to go after her. He needs to talk to her, to know what happened and see how they can work it out. Because he is sure they can find a solution.

Decision made, he goes to his room to dress quickly and then heads to his office to look up flights online. He is none too pleased when the earliest available flight to Boston is the next day, but he doesn't have much of a choice, so he books it anyway.

And then he realizes that Robin and Regina were to drop Roland off into his care later today while they go on their honeymoon. He sighs, hating to have to cancel like this. He picks up the phone and dials his friend's number.

" _Hello?_ " Regina answers after 2 rings.

"Hello Regina, it's Killian," he greets her.

" _Killian? Is everything okay?_ " she asks, concern filling her tone.

He sighs. "No," he admits, his voice trembling. "Emma's gone."

" _WHAT?!_ " she exclaims " _Killian, what happened?_ "

"I don't bloody know! We had a wonderful night and first thing I know when I wake up this morning, she's gone."

He can hear Regina sigh at the other end of the line.

" _You're going after her,_ " she declares.

"Aye, that's why I am calling, actually-" he responds.

" _Here, talk to Robin, I'll try to call her,_ " she interrupts him.

Killian is stunned for a moment. He never would have thought that Regina would help him like this. Maybe he had underestimated Emma and Regina's friendship.

" _Killian?_ " he hears Robin call out.

"Aye, mate. Sorry, I was thinking," he apologizes.

" _I understand. Something happened with Emma?_ " his friend asks.

Regina must not have taken the time to update her husband.

"Aye. She left, and I have no bloody clue why," Killian explains, the pain of the situation no more bearable than an hour ago. "I was calling to tell you that I can't take Roland after all, I need to go after her."

" _Aye, I would have put you on a plane myself if you hadn't,_ " Robin affirms. " _Don't worry about Roland, we will find another solution. I think Zelena was able to clear her schedule after all, she might be able to take him earlier than expected._ "

"I'm so sorry for letting you down on such short notice," Killian feels the need to apologize.

" _Well I must say it IS disconcerting, and you are putting us in quite a position while we are about to leave on our honeymoon, Killian. Sidney, Regina's assistant, may be able to help us out." Robin sighs. "Regina wants to speak to you again._ "

"Okay, put her on."

He knows he has disappointed his friend, and feels highly guilty about it. But he needs to go after Emma as soon as possible. The timing couldn't be more inappropriate.

" _Killian?_ " Regina calls.

"Aye, still here. Were you able to talk to her?" he asks anxiously.

" _No. Her friend Mary Margaret picked up her phone at once when I wouldn't stop calling. She doesn't know what happened either, Emma won't talk to her. She said she'd pick you up at the airport, just email your itinerary. She didn't want Emma to hear the conversation, so she hung up on me._ "

"But I don't have her email address."

" _She gave it to me, I texted it over to you._ "

"Thank you Regina," he acknowledges.

" _Yeah, well… I happen to like her, and you guys look great together. I hope you'll get her back. Even though this is putting us in a very uncomfortable position._ "

"I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am to let you both down on such short notice. I will make it up to you, I promise."

" _You better. Bye Killian, good luck._ "

As he hangs up, he feels more confident in his endeavour. If Emma's friend is willing to pick him up from the airport, then there must be hope. And it must mean that he hasn't completely messed things up, whatever he said or did to make her run.

With renewed hope, he goes back to his bedroom and starts packing, wondering just how long he will need to stay in Boston… Emma can be stubborn. Good thing he hasn't booked a return ticket yet. But then again, he needs to go back to work soon… He cringes at that, dialling his office.

" _Isabelle Greene,_ " his boss greets when picking up the phone.

"Hello Tink, this is Killian," he greets back.

" _Ah, Killian! How are you?_ "

"Not so well. Listen, Tink… I have some kind of family emergency, I need a week off of work, if you don't mind."

He tries to be as vague as possible; she doesn't need to know all of the details.

" _Family emergency?_ " she asks doubtfully. _"Killian, don't take this the wrong way, but you don't have any family. This wouldn't have anything to do with the woman that was to be your date at your friend's wedding, would it?_ "

He sighs, realizing that she won't agree to the time off unless he fesses up.

"Aye, it is about her."

Tink squeals so loud that he needs to pull the phone away from his ear for a moment so as to not become completely deaf.

" _I knew it! You can have the time off. I even give you 2 weeks. And I expect you in my office upon your return with a complete report._ "

Women and their need for details…

"Alright," he agrees reluctantly. "Thank you Tink."

" _You're welcome. And good luck._ "

He hangs up after bidding her a quick goodbye, then resumes packing.

Later that night, as he is sitting on the couch watching… whatever is on the telly at the moment, he forwards his flight information to Mary Margaret. He is surprised when she replies almost immediately.

_Hello Killian,_

_As Regina probably told you, I don't know any more than you do about what happened. It pains me to see Emma like this. But please know that not all hope is lost._

_Hope is a very powerful thing._

_I will see you tomorrow._

_Mary Margaret_

Emma's friend's words somehow put a balm on his wound. He loves Emma, he won't let her go without a fight. Because yes, he loves Emma Swan. Has for quite a while now. She's just not ready to hear the words yet.

As he goes back to his office to pack his laptop up, he notices the glass of water sitting on his desk. He wonders for a moment how it had gotten there as he does not recall bringing it up, when the print out of a newspaper article catches his eye. Recognizing the article, he looks back and forth between the glass and the article before realization hits him.

"Bloody hell," he swears loudly. "One day I'm gonna stop chasing this woman," he utters as he slams the sheet of paper down on his desk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review? :)

**Author's Note:**

> Leave me a review if you feel up to it :)


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